TODD:
If possible.
JUDGE (Blissful):
Ohhhhhhh,
Pretty women!
TODD:
Pretty women, yes ...
JUDGE (Straightening his coat, patting his hair): Quickly, sir, a splash of bay rum!
TODD (Indicating the chair): Sit, sir, sit.
JUDGE (Settling into the chair, in lecherous rapture) :
Johanna, Johanna ...
(TODD gets a towel, puts it carefully around him, moves to pick up a bottle of bay rum)
TODD:
Pretty women ...
JUDGE: Hurry, man!
TODD:
Pretty women
Are a wonder ...
JUDGE: You’re in a merry mood again today, barber.
TODD (Joyfully):
Pretty women!
JUDGE:
What we do for TODD:
Pretty women! Pretty women!
(During the following, TODD smooths bay rum on the JUDGE’s face, reaching behind him for a razor)
Blowing out their candles Or combing out their hair —Then they leave —Even when they leave you And vanish, they somehow Can still remain There with you there ... Blowing out their candles Or combing out their hair,
Even when they leave, They still Are there, They’re there ...
(Music continues under)
JUDGE: How seldom it is one meets a fellow spirit!
TODD (Smiling down): With fellow tastes — in women, at least.
JUDGE: What? What’s that?
TODD: The years no doubt have changed me, sir. But then, I suppose, the face of a barber — the face of a prisoner in the dock — is not particularly memorable.
JUDGE (With horrified realization): Benjamin Barker!
(The factory whistle blows; the JUDGE in terror tries to jump up but TODD slashes his throat, then pulls the lever and sends the body tumbling out of sight and down the chute. Music continues. For a long moment, TODD stands crouched forward by the chair, exhaling deeply. Then slowly he drops to his knees and even more slowly holds up the razor, gazing at it. He sings)
TODD:
Rest now, my friend,
Rest now forever.
Sleep now the untroubled
Sleep of the angels ...
(Suddenly remembering, speaks)
The boy.
(He starts down the stairs. He stops midway, remembering his razor)
My razor!
(He starts back up the steps just as JOHANNA has climbed out of the chest. She stands frozen)
You! What are you doing here? Speak!
JOHANNA (Deepening her voice): Oh, dear. Er — excuse me, sir. I saw the barber’s sign. So thinking to ask for a shave, I —
TODD: When? When did you come in?
JOHANNA: Oh, sir, I beg of you. Whatever I have seen, no man shall ever know. I swear it. Oh, sir, please, sir ...
TODD: A shave, eh?
(He turns chair toward her)
At your service.
JOHANNA: But, sir ...
TODD: Whatever you may have seen, your cheeks are still as much in need of the razor as before. Sit, sir. Sit.
(TODD sits JOHANNA in the chair. As he goes for the razor, simultaneously the factory whistle blows and MRS. LOVETT is heard screaming “Die! Die!” from the bakehouse below. JOHANNA jumps up and runs out, TODD lunges after her, misses her. She runs away. TODD pauses; another scream from the bakehouse sends him running down the stairs, and as he disappears into the pieshop, the company appears)
COMPANY (Sings):
Lift your razor high, Sweeney!
Hear it singing, “Yes!”
Sink it in the rosy skin
Of righteousness!
(Light comes up on the bakehouse. MRS. LOVETT is standing in horror by the mouth of the chute from which the JUDGE, still alive, clutches her skirt. MRS. LOVETT tries to tug the skirt away from the vise-like grip)
MRS. LOVETT: Die! Die! God in heaven — die!
(The JUDGE’s fingers relax their grip; he is dead. Panting, MRS. LOVETT backs away from him and for the first time notices the body of the BEGGAR WOMAN. She pauses)
You! Can it be? How all the demons of Hell come to torment me!
(Looks hastily over her shoulder)
Quick! To the oven.
(She starts to drag the BEGGAR WOMAN to the oven as TODD enters, runs to her)
TODD: Why did you scream? Does the Judge still live?
MRS. LOVETT: He was clutching, holding on to my skirt, but now — he’s finished.
(Continues dragging BEGGAR WOMAN to oven)
TODD: Leave them to me. Open the doors.
(He starts to shove her toward the oven)
MRS. LOVETT (Clutching the BEGGAR WOMAN’s wrists): No! Don’t touch her!
TODD (Pushing her to the oven doors and leaning down to pick up the BEGGAR WOMAN): What is the matter with you? It’s only some meddling old beggar —
(MRS. LOVETT opens the oven doors and the light from the fire illuminates the BEGGAR WOMAN’s face. A chord of music as TODD realizes who she is)
Oh no, Oh God ... “Don’t I know you?” she said ...
(Looks up)
You knew she lived. From the first moment that I walked into your shop you knew my Lucy lived!
MRS. LOVETT: I was only thinking of you!
TODD (Looking down again, sings):
Lucy ...
MRS. LOVETT: Your Lucy! A crazy hag picking bones and rotten spuds out of alley ashcans! Would you have wanted to know that was all that was left of her?
TODD (Slowly looking up): You lied to me.
MRS. LOVETT (Sings):
No, no, not lied at all.
No, I never lied.
TODD (To the BEGGAR WOMAN):
Lucy ...
MRS. LOVETT:
Said she took the poison — she did —
Never said that she died —
Poor thing,
She lived —
TODD:
I’ve come home again ...
MRS. LOVETT:
But it left her weak in the head,
All she did for months was just lie there in bed —
TODD:
Lucy ...
MRS. LOVETT:
Should’ve been in hospital,
Wound up in Bedlam instead,
Poor thing!
TODD:
Oh, my God ...
MRS. LOVETT:
Better you should think she was dead.
Yes, I lied ’cos I love you!
TODD:
Lucy ....
MRS. LOVETT:
I’d be twice the wife she was!
I love you!
TODD:
What have I done? ...
MRS. LOVETT:
Could that thing have cared for you
Like me?
(TODD rises, soft and smiling; MRS LOVETT takes a step away in panic. Waltz music starts)
TODD:
Mrs. Lovett,
You’re a bloody wonder,
Eminently practical and yet
Appropriate as always.
As you’ve said repeatedly,
There’s little point in dwelling on the past.
MRS. LOVETT: TODD:
Do you mean it? Everything I did I swear I thought Was only for the best, Believe me! Can we still be Married? No, come here, my love ...
Not a thing to fear, My love ... What’s dead Is dead.
(TODD puts his arm around her waist; she starts to relax in her babbling, and they sway to the waltz, her arms around his neck)
TODD:
The history of the world, my pet —
MRS. LOVETT:
Oh, Mr. Todd,
Ooh, Mr. Todd,
Leave it to me ...
TODD:
Is learn forgiveness and try to forget.
MRS. LOVETT:
By the sea, Mr. Todd,
We’ll be comfy-cozy,
By the se
a, Mr. Todd,
Where there’s no one nosy ...
(He waltzes her closer to the oven)
TODD:
And life is for the alive, my dear,
So let’s keep living it - !
BOTH:
Just keep living it,
Really living it — !
(He flings her into the oven. She screams. He slams the doors behind her. Black smoke belches forth. The music booms like an earthquake. TODD, gasping, sinks to his knees by the oven doors. Then he rises, moves back to the BEGGAR WOMAN and kneels, cradling her head in his arms)
TODD (Sings):
There was a barber and his wife,
And she was beautiful.
A foolish barber and his wife,
She was his reason and his life.
And she was beautiful.
And she was virtuous.
And he was —
(Shrugs)
Naive.
(TOBIAS emerges from the cellar, singing in an eerie voice. His hair has turned completely white)
TOBIAS:
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker man.
Bake me a cake —
No, no,
Bake me a pie —
To delight my eye,
And I will sigh
If the crust be high ...
(Sees TODD, speaks)
Mr. Todd.
(Notices the BEGGAR WOMAN)
It’s the old woman. Ya harmed her too, have ya? Ya shouldn’t, ya know. Ya shouldn’t harm nobody.
(He bends to examine the body; TODD, suddenly aware of someone, pushes him violently aside. As TOBIAS staggers back and recovers his balance, he notices the razor on the floor, picks it up, plays with it)
Razor! Razor! Cut, cut, cut cadougan, watch me grind my corn. Pat him and prick him and mark him with B, and put him in the oven for baby and me!
(Cuts TODD’s throat. TODD dies across the body of LUCY as the factory whistle blows. ANTHONY, JOHANNA and OFFICERS OF THE GUARD come running on. Seeing the carnage, they all stop)
You will pardon me, gentlemen, but you may not enter here. Oh no! Me mistress don’t let no one enter here, for, you see, sirs, there’s work to be done, so much work.
(While they watch in horror, he moves to the grinding machine and slowly starts to turn the handle)
Three times. That’s the secret. Three times through for them to be tender and juicy. Three times through the grinder. Smoothly, smoothly ...
(JOHANNA gives a little cry. ANTHONY throws his arm around her. As the group stands watching, still in silence, TOBIAS continues to grind. Suddenly, the trap door slaps shut; the light brightens abruptly, TOBIAS steps back, looks up and sings...)
Epilogue
TOBIAS:
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd.
His skin was pale and his eye was odd.
JOHANNA and ANTHONY:
He shaved the faces of gentlemen
Who never thereafter were heard of again.
POLICEMEN:
He trod a path that few have trod,
POLICEMEN, JOHANNA and ANTHONY:
Did Sweeney Todd,
ALL:
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
BEGGAR WOMAN (Rising):
He kept a shop in London town,
Of fancy clients and good renown.
JUDGE (Rising):
And what if none of their souls were saved?
They went to their maker impeccably shaved
BEGGAR WOMAN, JUDGE and POLICEMEN:
By Sweeney,
By Sweeney Todd,
ALL:
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
PIRELLI and BEADLE (Entering) :
Swing your razor wide, Sweeney!
Hold it to the skies!
Freely flows the blood of those
Who moralize!
(The rest of the company enters)
COMPANY:
His needs are few, his room is bare.
He hardly uses his fancy chair.
The more he bleeds, the more he lives.
He never forgets and he never forgives.
Perhaps today you gave a nod
To Sweeney Todd,
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
WOMEN:
Sweeney wishes the world away,
Sweeney’s weeping for yesterday,
Hugging the blade, waiting the years,
Hearing the music that nobody hears.
Sweeney waits in the parlor hall,
Sweeney leans on the office wall.
MEN:
No one can help, nothing can hide you —
Isn’t that Sweeney there beside you?
COMPANY:
Sweeney wishes the world away,
Sweeney’s weeping for yesterday,
Is Sweeney!
There he is, it’s Sweeney!
Sweeney! Sweeney!
(Pointing around the theater)
There! There! There! There!
There! There! There!
(Pointing to the grave)
There!
(TODD and MRS. LOVETT rise from the grave)
TODD and COMPANY:
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd!
He served a dark and a hungry god!
TODD:
To seek revenge may lead to hell,
MRS. LOVETT:
But everyone does it, and seldom as well
TODD and MRS. LOVETT:
As Sweeney,
COMPANY:
As Sweeney Todd,
The Demon Barber of Fleet ...
(They start to exit)
... Street!
(The company exits. TODD and MRS. LOVETT are the last to leave. They look at each other, then exit in opposite directions, MRS. LOVETT into the wings, TODD upstage. He glares at us malevolently for a moment, then slams the iron door in our faces. Blackout)
A perspective drawing of the set
The set under construction at the Uris Theatre
the completed set
Costume designs by Franne Lee
MAJOR PRODUCTIONS
Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street was first presented by Richard Barr, Charles Woodward, Robert Fryer, Mary Lea Johnson, Martin Richards, in association with Dean and Judy Manos, at the Uris Theatre, New York City, on March 1, 1979, with the following cast:
(In order of appearance)
ANTHONY HOPE Victor Garber
SWEENEY TODD Len Cariou
BEGGAR WOMAN Merle Louise
MRS. LOVETT Angela Lansbury
JUDGE TURPIN Edmund Lyndeck
THE BEADLE Jack Eric Williams
JOHANNA Sarah Rice
TOBIAS RAGG Ken Jennings
PIRELLI Joaquin Romaguera
JONAS FOGG Robert Ousley
THE COMPANY: Duane Bodin, Walter Charles, Carole Doscher, Nancy Eaton, Mary-Pat Green, Cris Groenendaal, Skip Harris, Marthe Ihde, Betsy Joslyn, Nancy Killmer, Frank Kopyc, Spain Logue, Craig Lucas, Pamela McLernon, Duane Morris, Robert Ousley, Richard Warren Pugh, Maggie Task. Swings - Heather B. Withers, Robert Henderson.
Directed by Harold Prince
Dance and Movement by Larry Fuller
Production Designed by Eugene Lee
Costumes Designed by Franne Lee
Lighting Designed by Ken Billington
Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick
Musical Direction by Paul Gemignani
The first section of “The Contest” (pages 61-62) and the scene in Judge Turpin’s house, including the Judge’s version of “Johanna, ” (pages 68-72) were cut in previews for reasons of time.
Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street gave its first performance in New York City at the Uris Theatre, where it began previews on February 6, 1979, opened on March 1st and closed on June 29, 1980 after 557 performances and 19 previews.
AWARDS
New York Drama Critics Circle Award — Best Musical
Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Book of a M
usical (Hugh Wheeler), Best Music and Lyrics (Stephen Sondheim), Best Actor in a Musical (Len Cariou), Best Actress in a Musical (Angela Lansbury), Best Direction of a Musical (Harold Prince), Best Scenic Design (Eugene Lee), Best Costume Design (Franne Lee). Also received a Tony nomination for Best Lighting Design (Ken Billington).
Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street was first presented in London by Robert Stigwood, in association with David Land, and by arrangement with Richard Barr, Charles Woodward, Robert Fryer, Mary Lea Johnson and Martin Richards, at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on July 2, 1980 for 157 performances, with the following cast:
SWEENEY TODD Denis Quilley
MRS. LOVETT Sheila Hancock
BEGGAR WOMAN Dilys Watling
TOBIAS Michael Staniforth
ANTHONY Andrew C. Wadsworth
JOHANNA Mandy More
JUDGE TURPIN Austin Kent
BEADLE BAMFORD David Wheldon-Williams
PIRELLI John Aron
JONAS FOGG Oz Clarke
THE COMPANY Sylvia Beamish, Michael Bulman, Simon But teriss, Oz Clarke, Linda D’Arcy, Victoria Duncan, Katherine Dyson, Mercia Glossop, Andrew Golder, Stuart Haycock, Stephen Hill, Marie Jackson, Diane Mansfield, Neil Michael, William Relton, Myra Sands, Suzanne Sloan, Grant Smith, Rex Taylor Craig, David Urwin
Four by Sondheim Page 36