by Dr. Carol Anderson

PROLOGUE:

An ensemble introduces the story, accompanied by ominous strings. This ensemble will function throughout the performance as both a Greek chorus, commenting on the story, and as the townspeople of Fleet Street.

ACT I

Sweeney Todd and Anthony return to London after a long sea voyage. They are accosted by a Beggar Woman who offers her body in return for Anthony’s charity. Sweeney tells Anthony the story of a “barber and his wife” without explicitly stating that it is in fact, his own story. Anthony and Sweeney take their leave of one another, and Sweeney comments on the depravity of the world. Mrs. Lovett is hard at work at her pie shop, admitting that her shop sells the worst meat pies in London. Todd tries her pie, discovering her claims to be true, and then inquires about renting her upstairs apartment to set up his barber shop. It has remained vacant until now, believed to be haunted. The apartment’s former tenant, Benjamin Barker, was transported to Australia on false charges, leaving his wife prey to the lascivious plans of corrupt Judge Turpin and his assistant, Beadle Bamford. Todd’s reaction to the story leaves no doubt in Mrs. Lovett’s mind that he is Benjamin Barker, and she reveals that his wife poisoned herself. He vows vengeance on the men who caused this tragedy and Mrs. Lovett returns his razors to him as instruments of this plan.

Johanna, Benjamin Barker’s daughter, is now the ward of the Judge and is confined to his home with only the songs of birds to keep her company. Her disconsolate song attracts Anthony, who is immediately enchanted by her beauty. He purchases a bird for her, but the Judge and Beadle dispose of the creature and threaten Anthony with his life should he pursue her.

In St. Dunstan’s marketplace a young man, Tobias, drums up a crowd to witness Adolfo Pirelli’s miracle hair-growth elixir.  Among the onlookers are Beadle Bamford and Sweeney Todd. Todd declares the elixir to be fake, and challenges Pirelli to a shaving contest officiated by the Beadle, which he handily wins. Todd invites the Beadle to his shop for a free shave. Pirelli appears at the shop and reveals himself to be an Irishman, Daniel O’Higgins. He has recognized Todd and blackmails him to keep silent about his identity but Sweeney murders him to keep him silent. As Todd awaits the Beadle’s arrival, Mrs. Lovett soothes his impatience. Anthony and Johanna plan an elopement while the Judge makes plans to court Johanna. On the advice of the Beadle, the Judge proceeds to Todd’s shop to spruce up his appearance. Todd is poised to slit the Judge’s throat when Anthony bursts into the shop to solicit Sweeney’s aid in his elopement plan. Sweeney’s frustration at this delay leads to a soliloquy of anger at the injustice of the world. Mrs. Lovett hatches a clever plan to manage Pirelli’s body by recycling it into her pie shop and the act concludes with a comic celebration of their new partnership.

ACT 2

Mrs. Lovett’s pie shop is now a thriving business, with the citizens of Fleet Street clamoring for her delicious wares. Tobias works as Mrs. Lovett’s assistant, now proclaiming the glories of her pies. Sweeney Todd has had a magnificent barber chair delivered to his shop which is rigged to deliver his deceased clients to the meat grinder via a cleverly hidden chute. Unsuspecting clients come to Todd for a shave and are dispatched to the cellar with macabre efficiency. Anthony is searching desperately for Johanna, who has been incarcerated in Fogg’s insane asylum.

Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd are now comfortably cohabiting, and Mrs. Lovett’s prosperity is indicated by her upgraded parlor with its new harmonium. She dreams of saving money for a seaside honeymoon with Todd, while his desire for blood grows and festers. Anthony barges in, crying that he has found Johanna locked in a madhouse. Todd advises Anthony to disguise himself as a wigmaker searching for a particular color of blonde hair, as it is customary for asylum workers to sell the hair of inmates. He offers his shop as a refuge for when Anthony rescues Johanna. He then writes a letter to the Judge disclosing the plan to lure him to the tonsorial parlor for the final act of retribution.

Having sold out of the day’s supply, Tobias and Mrs. Lovett are relaxing in the garden. Tobias has suspicions about a certain gentleman in Mrs. Lovett’s life and declares to protect her from any evildoers. She takes him to the cellar to show him how the meat delivery system works and locks him in with the meat grinder. Mrs. Lovett returns upstairs to find Beadle Bamford accompanying himself on the harmonium as he sings a selection of country airs. He has received complaints about the smell coming from Mrs. Lovett’s oven. Having delivered his letter to the Judge, Todd returns to the apartment and escorts the Beadle to his barber chair for a beauty treatment. Tobias is eating a pie in the cellar when the Beadle’s bloodied corpse hurtles into the basement from above.

Mr. Fogg, the asylum keeper, escorts Anthony to Johanna’s cell. Anthony threatens Fogg with a gun but cannot shoot him, but Johanna grabs the weapon and dispatches him, allowing a mass escape of inmates. In the chaos that ensues Johanna and Anthony make their way to Sweeney’s shop where Johanna notices the curious mechanism on the chair. The Beggar Woman approaches the shop calling for the Beadle, and Johanna hides in a chest. Todd leaps into the room, brandishing his razor. He attempts to remove the Beggar Woman, but she appears to recognize him despite her madness. Hearing the Judge at the door, Todd slits the throat of the Beggar Woman and sends her down the chute just in time.

Having finally succeeded in bringing the Judge to his barber chair, Sweeney Todd finally reveals himself as Benjamin Barker, and sends Turpin to his doom. Todd heads off to dispatch Tobias as the last “loose end,” but returns to collect his razor to see Johanna emerging from the chest. She escapes just in time, as Todd is distracted by Mrs. Lovett’s cries of “Die, die” from the basement.

Todd rushes to the basement to see the Judge’s last struggles at Mrs. Lovett’s feet. He starts to help Mrs. Lovett drag the body of the Beggar Woman to the oven when he recognizes, to his horror, the face of his beloved wife. He realizes that Mrs. Lovett lied about Lucy’s death, and flings Mrs. Lovett into the oven. Tobias emerges from the darkness, appearing to have lost his mind, and sees Todd cradling the corpse of his wife. Toby picks up Todd’s discarded razor and plays with it before cutting Todd’s throat. Anthony, Johanna, and the Guard arrive to witness this horrifying tableau, and the shocking tale of Sweeney Todd comes to a close.