Day Fifteen: Sweeney Todd
Today's post is a musical written by your favorite composer. For those of you who know musicals, Sweeney Todd (the full name of the show is Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, but for the blog, I'll refer it to the first two words.)
So Sweeney Todd takes place in London, and the year is 1846. A young sailor named Anthony Hope, who's glad on coming home, arrives via boat with Sweeney Todd, whom Anthony recalls finding during a storm. Todd isn't in a great mood, and it becomes worse when a half-mad Beggar woman sexually solicits both men and thinks she recognizes Todd. Todd tells a cheery Anthony a dark tale about a barber, who had a very beautiful wife and she was pursued by this lustful judge who had the barber exiled just so he can "get her."
Todd enters a meat pie shop on Fleet Street, where the owner, Mrs Lovett, who complains about the economic times in London. Todd asks her about the unoccupied apartment upstairs, she recalls that the previous tenant was a barber named Benjamin Barker. Barker was sent away on false charges by Judge Turpin because he lusted after the barber's wife, Lucy. After Barker had been transported to a prison in Australia, the Judge and his cohort, Beadle Bamford, lured Lucy to the Judge's house and raped her.
Todd's explosive reaction to the tale confirms Lovett's suspicions about Todd being Benjamin Barker. She tells Todd that his wife poisoned herself and her then-infant daughter, Johanna, became a ward of the judge. Todd swears revenge on both the Judge and Beadle, then Mrs. Lovett brings out Todd's old collection of sterling silver straight razors, and tells him he can live above her shop and be a barber again.
Meanwhile, Anthony, walking down the street, sees an exquisite blonde girl singing through the window. The Beggar Woman passes by and tells Anthony that the girl is Johanna, Judge Turpin's ward. Unaware that Johanna is Todd's daughter, he is immediately smitten with her and pledges to woo her. However, the Judge and Beadle threaten Anthony away by violently killing a bird he buys for Johanna.
In the crowded marketplace, a renowned "Italian" barber, Adolfo Pirelli, and his little simple-minded assistant, Tobias Ragg, try to convince the crowd to buy their elixir that can cure hair loss. After Todd exposes the elixir as a fraud, challenges Pirelli to a shaving competition. Pirelli tries to be flashy while shaving his customer's face, but it is Todd who wins easily. Todd invited the impressed Beadle to his parlor some time for a complimentary shave.
Days go by as Todd awaits the Beadle's arrival, resulting in Todd becoming patient. Mrs. Lovett tells him to calm down, that the Beadle will be there soon. Anthony enters the shop and tells Todd of his sudden romance with Johanna and asks to use Todd's barbershop as a safe house for the girl. Right after Anthony leaves, Pirelli and Tobias (who likes to be called Toby) visit the shop. Mrs. Lovett distracts Toby downstairs , while Pirelli and Todd talk. It's discovered that Pirelli isn't Italian; he's Irish. He reveals he's Danny O'Higgins and recounts having worked as an assistant for Todd fifteen years ago. O'Higgins tries to blackmail his former employer, who responds by strangling O'Higgins and stuffing his body into the trunk. Toby pops his head in, looking for "Pirelli," then leaves when Todd tells him he left already. After Toby leaves, Todd finishes the job by slitting O'Higgins' throat.
Judge Turpin is tormented for his lust for his ward Johanna and announces his intention to marry her. Disgusted by this announcement, Anthony and Johanna plan to elope. At the same time, the Beadle recommends Todd's services to the Judge, in order to improve his appearance to attract Johanna. Mrs. Lovett still distracts Toby when the Judge enters. Todd, caught off guard but eager for blood, exacts his revenge by calming the Judge. Before Todd strikes, Anthony barges in and tells Todd about his and Johanna's plans, and informs the Judge, who vows never to return to the shop.
Todd drives Anthony away before entering into furious madness. He begins to target all of humanity, by punishing the rich and corrupt, while relieving the poor of their misery, through death. While discussing what to do with O'Higgins' body, Mrs. Lovett suggests, through wordplay, that they use the flesh of Todd's victims in her meat pies, an idea that Todd enthusiastically agrees to.
Mrs. Lovett's pie shop becomes a big success and even Toby helps waiting on the shop's many customers. The only downside is the Beggar Woman, who keeps hanging around the pie shop, defaming Mrs. Lovett. Todd rigged his barber chair so that after Todd kills his victims, there's a chute from the shop (under the chair) that leads directly to the basement, where Mrs. Lovett would bake the flesh into pies.
Todd gets used to the idea that he'll never see his daughter, Johanna, again, spending that time slashing throats. Anthony longs to be with her romantically. Mrs. Lovett dreams a life of retirement with Todd, who appears to be uninterested.
Meanwhile, Anthony finds out that the Judge has sent Johanna to Fogg's Lunatic Asylum and, with Todd's help, plans tor rescue her by posing as a wigmaker and wants to "purchase" the inmates' hair. Todd sends a secret letter to the Judge about Anthony's plot, hoping to lure the Judge to his shop, which is where Anthony plans on bringing Johanna to.
In the shop, Toby expresses his suspicions about Todd and his desire to protect Mrs. Lovett, whom he now sees as a mother figure. When he recognizes Pirelli's coin purse in Lovett's possessions, she refocus his attention to working on the meat grinder, secretly locking him in the basement where the machine is located. Beadle Bamford arrives at the shop due to complaints from the neighbors about a strange smell ad smoke coming from the pie shop's chimney.
Lovett stalls Deadle until Todd comes, offering him a free "shave." Mrs. Lovett loudly plays music to cover the screams of Beadle's death. Immediately after, Toby discovers a hair and fingernail in a pie he eats when suddenly, Beadle's fresh corpse tumbles from the chute into the basement. Mrs. Lovett informs Todd that Toby has found out about their plan and must dispose of him.
Anthony arrives at the asylum to rescue Johanna but Fogg, the deranged owner of the asylum, attempts to stop them. Anthony pulls out a pistol but is unable to shoot Fogg. Johanna grabs it and shoots the owner. The two flee to Todd's parlor (with Johanna disguised as a sailor.) The asylum's inmates escape with the couple, proclaiming the end of the world.
Todd and Mrs. Lovett search for Toby in vain, but when the Judge arrives, abandons their search. Anthony brings Johanna to the shop, telling her to wait for him as he finds a coach. He leaves and Johanna hides just as the Beggar Woman, who's in an extreme frenzy, enters the parlor. Todd enters the shop and sees the Beggar Woman. Anticipating the Judge's arrival, he frantically slits her throat and send her down the chute right before the Judge enters.
Todd assures the Judge that Johanna did not come to the shop, as Todd's note did say. The Judge asks for one quick shave before reuniting with her. Once Todd has the Judge in his chair, he suddenly begins to mock him, alerting the Judge to his true identity. Both Todd and the Judge scream, "Benjamin Barker!" before Todd passionately slits his enemy's throat and sends him down the chute. Johanna, who heard everything, emerges from her hiding place and is almost slain by Todd; but at that moment, Mrs. Lovett shrieks from the bakehouse below, allowing Johanna to escape.
Down at the bakehouse, Mrs. Lovett panics when the wounded Judge is clawing her dress before finally dying. Storming into the room, he sees the Beggar Woman's face in the oven light and realizes that she was in fact Todd's wife, Lucy. Mrs. Lovett had used wordplay and said that she told him Lucy poisoned herself, but Todd interpreted this as his wife being dead. Todd accuses Mrs. Lovett from deceiving him, but Mrs. Lovett maintains her innocence, claiming she took poison, but didn't die, but instead became insane. She withheld the whole truth from him because she loves him. Todd pretends to act calm and forgiving, waltzing Mrs. Lovett to the huge oven, throws her into the fire, and slams the doors shut.
Todd then sinks to the floor and cradles his dead wife in his arms. Toby, now completely insane (proven in his now white hair), picks up Todd's fallen razor and slits Todd's throat. As Anthony, Johanna, and some officers break into the bakehouse, Todd falls dead as Toby drops the razor, and absentmindedly parodies the motions of the meat grinder.
In the epilogue, the ghosts of Todd and Mrs. Lovett arrise from the grave, both claim that revenge is capable of all of us, then leaves for one last time.
For some reason, I love the song "Johanna." Maybe because the movie Anthony (Jamie Campbell Bower) has such a great voice for this!
Meanwhile, Anthony finds out that the Judge has sent Johanna to Fogg's Lunatic Asylum and, with Todd's help, plans tor rescue her by posing as a wigmaker and wants to "purchase" the inmates' hair. Todd sends a secret letter to the Judge about Anthony's plot, hoping to lure the Judge to his shop, which is where Anthony plans on bringing Johanna to.
In the shop, Toby expresses his suspicions about Todd and his desire to protect Mrs. Lovett, whom he now sees as a mother figure. When he recognizes Pirelli's coin purse in Lovett's possessions, she refocus his attention to working on the meat grinder, secretly locking him in the basement where the machine is located. Beadle Bamford arrives at the shop due to complaints from the neighbors about a strange smell ad smoke coming from the pie shop's chimney.
Lovett stalls Deadle until Todd comes, offering him a free "shave." Mrs. Lovett loudly plays music to cover the screams of Beadle's death. Immediately after, Toby discovers a hair and fingernail in a pie he eats when suddenly, Beadle's fresh corpse tumbles from the chute into the basement. Mrs. Lovett informs Todd that Toby has found out about their plan and must dispose of him.
Anthony arrives at the asylum to rescue Johanna but Fogg, the deranged owner of the asylum, attempts to stop them. Anthony pulls out a pistol but is unable to shoot Fogg. Johanna grabs it and shoots the owner. The two flee to Todd's parlor (with Johanna disguised as a sailor.) The asylum's inmates escape with the couple, proclaiming the end of the world.
Todd and Mrs. Lovett search for Toby in vain, but when the Judge arrives, abandons their search. Anthony brings Johanna to the shop, telling her to wait for him as he finds a coach. He leaves and Johanna hides just as the Beggar Woman, who's in an extreme frenzy, enters the parlor. Todd enters the shop and sees the Beggar Woman. Anticipating the Judge's arrival, he frantically slits her throat and send her down the chute right before the Judge enters.
Todd assures the Judge that Johanna did not come to the shop, as Todd's note did say. The Judge asks for one quick shave before reuniting with her. Once Todd has the Judge in his chair, he suddenly begins to mock him, alerting the Judge to his true identity. Both Todd and the Judge scream, "Benjamin Barker!" before Todd passionately slits his enemy's throat and sends him down the chute. Johanna, who heard everything, emerges from her hiding place and is almost slain by Todd; but at that moment, Mrs. Lovett shrieks from the bakehouse below, allowing Johanna to escape.
Down at the bakehouse, Mrs. Lovett panics when the wounded Judge is clawing her dress before finally dying. Storming into the room, he sees the Beggar Woman's face in the oven light and realizes that she was in fact Todd's wife, Lucy. Mrs. Lovett had used wordplay and said that she told him Lucy poisoned herself, but Todd interpreted this as his wife being dead. Todd accuses Mrs. Lovett from deceiving him, but Mrs. Lovett maintains her innocence, claiming she took poison, but didn't die, but instead became insane. She withheld the whole truth from him because she loves him. Todd pretends to act calm and forgiving, waltzing Mrs. Lovett to the huge oven, throws her into the fire, and slams the doors shut.
Todd then sinks to the floor and cradles his dead wife in his arms. Toby, now completely insane (proven in his now white hair), picks up Todd's fallen razor and slits Todd's throat. As Anthony, Johanna, and some officers break into the bakehouse, Todd falls dead as Toby drops the razor, and absentmindedly parodies the motions of the meat grinder.
In the epilogue, the ghosts of Todd and Mrs. Lovett arrise from the grave, both claim that revenge is capable of all of us, then leaves for one last time.
For some reason, I love the song "Johanna." Maybe because the movie Anthony (Jamie Campbell Bower) has such a great voice for this!
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