Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (theatre): Difference between revisions

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=== The musical provides examples of: ===
=== The musical provides examples of: ===


* [[Adaptation Distillation]] / [[Adaptation Expansion]]: (a little of both) The characters of Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett come from a Victorian "shilling shocker" titled ''The String of Pearls''. It is only in Christopher Bond's modern version, which Sondheim's musical adapts, that Sweeney has a revenge motivation, and Mrs. Lovett has a crush on him.
* [[Adaptation Distillation]]/[[Adaptation Expansion]]: (a little of both) The characters of Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett come from a Victorian "shilling shocker" titled ''The String of Pearls''. It is only in Christopher Bond's modern version, which Sondheim's musical adapts, that Sweeney has a revenge motivation, and Mrs. Lovett has a crush on him.
** Also in the original story, Tobias is employed from the beginning by Sweeney Todd, and he had only very passing interaction with Mrs. Lovett (specifically, stopping by to buy a pie). Instead of Anthony, we had Mark Ingestrie, and he and Johanna have a more unambiguously happy ending. Most of the characters from the play and movie appear, but many have had their roles, relationships, and so on shuffled around, essentially being recast (or using a very, very [[Alternative Character Interpretation]]).
** Also in the original story, Tobias is employed from the beginning by Sweeney Todd, and he had only very passing interaction with Mrs. Lovett (specifically, stopping by to buy a pie). Instead of Anthony, we had Mark Ingestrie, and he and Johanna have a more unambiguously happy ending. Most of the characters from the play and movie appear, but many have had their roles, relationships, and so on shuffled around, essentially being recast (or using a very, very [[Alternative Character Interpretation]]).
** Sondheim also fixes one or two weak moments in Bond's version. Now we actually ''see'' the lovers meeting for the first time instead of just hearing about it. Likewise, instead of simply developing a taste for blood, Todd sings "Epiphany" in which his mind snaps after the Judge escapes his clutches and he decides that "we all deserve to die".
** Sondheim also fixes one or two weak moments in Bond's version. Now we actually ''see'' the lovers meeting for the first time instead of just hearing about it. Likewise, instead of simply developing a taste for blood, Todd sings "Epiphany" in which his mind snaps after the Judge escapes his clutches and he decides that "we all deserve to die".
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* [[BSOD Song]]: "Epiphany".
* [[BSOD Song]]: "Epiphany".
* [[Cassandra Truth]]: The Beggar Woman tells these all the time.
* [[Cassandra Truth]]: The Beggar Woman tells these all the time.
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* [[Companion Cube]]: Sweeney's razors.
* [[Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are]]: While searching for Toby in the sewers {{spoiler|when he's figured out what's REALLY in the pies.}} ''"Tooooby...Where aaaare you..."''
* [[Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are]]: While searching for Toby in the sewers {{spoiler|when he's figured out what's REALLY in the pies.}} ''"Tooooby...Where aaaare you..."''
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* [[Companion Cube]]: Sweeney's razors.
* [[Contrived Proximity]]: I'm sure that old beggar woman has no importance to the story whatsoever...
* [[Contrived Proximity]]: I'm sure that old beggar woman has no importance to the story whatsoever...
** {{spoiler|She was hanging around her own old house and where her daughter lived. Still had ''some'' memories.}}
** {{spoiler|She was hanging around her own old house and where her daughter lived. Still had ''some'' memories.}}
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* [[Crosscast Role]]: In the 2005 revival, Pirelli is played by a woman, but as a man.
* [[Crosscast Role]]: In the 2005 revival, Pirelli is played by a woman, but as a man.
* [[Crowd Song]]: "Pirelli's Miracle Elixir". It slowly morphs into an [[Angry Mob Song]].
* [[Crowd Song]]: "Pirelli's Miracle Elixir". It slowly morphs into an [[Angry Mob Song]].
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* [[Damsel in Distress]]: Subverted -- although her character mostly fits the trope, in a memorable scene, Anthony rescues Johanna from a madhouse where she is being imprisoned, pointing a gun at the asylum keeper. After Anthony admits he can't shoot, Johanna picks up the gun and kills the asylum keeper.
* [[Dangerously Close Shave]]: 'Nuff said.
* [[Dangerously Close Shave]]: 'Nuff said.
* [[Dead Man's Chest]]: Signore Pirelli's final fate.
* [[Dead Man's Chest]]: Signore Pirelli's final fate.
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* [[Dirty Old Man]]: Judge Turpin is an extremely evil example.
* [[Dirty Old Man]]: Judge Turpin is an extremely evil example.
* [[Dissonant Serenity]]: Sweeney's part in the Johanna Quartet is this. He murders people in an eerily detached manner, singing a gorgeous song.
* [[Dissonant Serenity]]: Sweeney's part in the Johanna Quartet is this. He murders people in an eerily detached manner, singing a gorgeous song.
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* [[Damsel in Distress]]: Subverted -- although her character mostly fits the trope, in a memorable scene, Anthony rescues Johanna from a madhouse where she is being imprisoned, pointing a gun at the asylum keeper. After Anthony admits he can't shoot, Johanna picks up the gun and kills the asylum keeper.
* [[Don't Explain the Joke]]: "And I'm telling you them pussycats is quick!"
* [[Don't Explain the Joke]]: "And I'm telling you them pussycats is quick!"
* [[Double Entendre]]: "You will be guaranteed, without a penny's charge...''the closest shave you will ever know''."
* [[Double Entendre]]: "You will be guaranteed, without a penny's charge...''the closest shave you will ever know''."
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* [[Eat the Rich]]: During "A Little Priest," Sweeney briefly considers exclusively serving the upper classes in Mrs. Lovett's pie shop before discarding the idea as "discriminating."
* [[Eat the Rich]]: During "A Little Priest," Sweeney briefly considers exclusively serving the upper classes in Mrs. Lovett's pie shop before discarding the idea as "discriminating."
* [[Epic Song]]: The eponymous Ballad that opens and closes the show fits.
* [[Epic Song]]: The eponymous Ballad that opens and closes the show fits.
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* [[Evil Sounds Deep]]: Sweeney is a bass-baritone and Judge Turpin a bass. On the other hand, the Beadle and Pirelli are both Counter-Tenors.
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* [[Evil Versus Evil]]: A [[Nietzsche Wannabe]] [[Serial Killer]] with a [[Weapon of Choice|razor]] who [[I'm a Humanitarian|has his victims baked into pies]] with the help of a ruthless [[Yandere]] [[Stepford Smiler]], against a [[Hanging Judge]] [[Dirty Old Man|Pervert]] whose backstory includes [[Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil|raping]] the [[Serial Killer|serial killer's]] [[It's Personal|wife]], and whose introduction is pretty much a [[Kick the Dog]] - he [[Kangaroo Court|has the title character transported for life]] so that he could have his wife for himself. His [[The Dragon|"best friend"]] sees nothing wrong with any of this and is quite content to help him [[Squick|seduce the]] daughter, who the judge [[Wife Husbandry|has adopted as his own]].
* [[Even Evil Has Standards]]: Sweeney slits people's throats with a straight razor and has the bodies baked into pies, but he won't kill men who have families, which is understandable, since the reason for his [[Roaring Rampage of Revenge]] is that he was unjustly taken away from his wife and daughter, who were then raped/DrivenToSuicide ({{spoiler|well, not exactly}}) and adopted/implied to be sexually abused by Judge Turpin, respectively. Though it may be more [[Pragmatic Villainy]], families mean witnesses and investigations.
* [[Even Evil Has Standards]]: Sweeney slits people's throats with a straight razor and has the bodies baked into pies, but he won't kill men who have families, which is understandable, since the reason for his [[Roaring Rampage of Revenge]] is that he was unjustly taken away from his wife and daughter, who were then raped/DrivenToSuicide ({{spoiler|well, not exactly}}) and adopted/implied to be sexually abused by Judge Turpin, respectively. Though it may be more [[Pragmatic Villainy]], families mean witnesses and investigations.
** The latter explains why it's [[Played for Laughs]] in the stage version.
** The latter explains why it's [[Played for Laughs]] in the stage version.
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* [[Evil Sounds Deep]]: Sweeney is a bass-baritone and Judge Turpin a bass. On the other hand, the Beadle and Pirelli are both Counter-Tenors.
⚫
* [[Evil Versus Evil]]: A [[Nietzsche Wannabe]] [[Serial Killer]] with a [[Weapon of Choice|razor]] who [[I'm a Humanitarian|has his victims baked into pies]] with the help of a ruthless [[Yandere]] [[Stepford Smiler]], against a [[Hanging Judge]] [[Dirty Old Man|Pervert]] whose backstory includes [[Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil|raping]] the [[Serial Killer|serial killer's]] [[It's Personal|wife]], and whose introduction is pretty much a [[Kick the Dog]] - he [[Kangaroo Court|has the title character transported for life]] so that he could have his wife for himself. His [[The Dragon|"best friend"]] sees nothing wrong with any of this and is quite content to help him [[Squick|seduce the]] daughter, who the judge [[Wife Husbandry|has adopted as his own]].
* [[Fauxreigner]]: Adolfo Pirelli a.k.a. Daniel O'Higgins, and he's Irish.
* [[Fauxreigner]]: Adolfo Pirelli a.k.a. Daniel O'Higgins, and he's Irish.
* [[A Fete Worse Than Death]]: The masked ball in "Poor Thing", which culminates in Judge Turpin raping Sweeney Todd's wife.
* [[A Fete Worse Than Death]]: The masked ball in "Poor Thing", which culminates in Judge Turpin raping Sweeney Todd's wife.
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* [[Hypocritical Humor]]: "Wouldn't do in my shop/why the thought's enough to make you sick/and I'm telling you them pussy cats is quick!"
* [[Hypocritical Humor]]: "Wouldn't do in my shop/why the thought's enough to make you sick/and I'm telling you them pussy cats is quick!"
* [["I Am Becoming" Song]]: "Epiphany", "Johanna Quartet".
* [["I Am Becoming" Song]]: "Epiphany", "Johanna Quartet".
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* [[If You Know What I Mean]]: "If you get my drift..."
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** "No?" . . . "AH!" "Good, you got it."
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* [[Large Ham]]:
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** In "A Little Priest", the actor always arrives overdone...
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** Pirelli, full stop.
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** George He- excuse me, '''GEORGE HEARN!!!'''
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*** And when paired with Patti LuPone, it gets taken to new levels, very effectively.
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** During ''A Little Priest'', if Sweeney and Lovett aren't completely tearing the house down, they're doing it wrong.
* [[Ignorance Is Bliss]]: Toby has this at first toward the meat pies he and his new family are selling.
* [[Ignorance Is Bliss]]: Toby has this at first toward the meat pies he and his new family are selling.
* [[I Have You Now, My Pretty]]: Judge Turpin has a serious problem with lust when it comes to pretty women, and ends up doing this to Lucy Barker in the "Poor Thing" scene.
* [[I Have You Now, My Pretty]]: Judge Turpin has a serious problem with lust when it comes to pretty women, and ends up doing this to Lucy Barker in the "Poor Thing" scene.
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* [[Kill the Ones You Love]]: {{spoiler|Sweeney kills Lucy unaware that she is actually the beggar}}.
* [[Kill the Ones You Love]]: {{spoiler|Sweeney kills Lucy unaware that she is actually the beggar}}.
* [[Lady Macbeth]]: Mrs. Lovett is arguably more evil than Sweeney Todd. Given that while he has the excuse of having endured terrible tragedy and going crazy, she participates in and encourages his mass-murdering for financial motives, and it was her suggestion to cook the corpses of his victims in the first place.<br />Then, of course, there's Mrs. Lovett's ulterior motive in {{spoiler|not telling Sweeney that his wife is alive and is the crazy Beggar Woman; she lets him think his wife is dead because of her crush on Sweeney}}.
* [[Lady Macbeth]]: Mrs. Lovett is arguably more evil than Sweeney Todd. Given that while he has the excuse of having endured terrible tragedy and going crazy, she participates in and encourages his mass-murdering for financial motives, and it was her suggestion to cook the corpses of his victims in the first place.<br />Then, of course, there's Mrs. Lovett's ulterior motive in {{spoiler|not telling Sweeney that his wife is alive and is the crazy Beggar Woman; she lets him think his wife is dead because of her crush on Sweeney}}.
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* [[If You Know What I Mean]]: "If you get my drift..."
⚫
** "No?" . . . "AH!" "Good, you got it."
⚫
* [[Large Ham]]:
⚫
** In "A Little Priest", the actor always arrives overdone...
⚫
** Pirelli, full stop.
⚫
** George He- excuse me, '''GEORGE HEARN!!!'''
⚫
*** And when paired with Patti LuPone, it gets taken to new levels, very effectively.
⚫
** During ''A Little Priest'', if Sweeney and Lovett aren't completely tearing the house down, they're doing it wrong.
* [[Last-Second Word Swap]]: In "The Worst Pies in London":
* [[Last-Second Word Swap]]: In "The Worst Pies in London":
{{quote|'''Mrs. Lovett:''' Is that just revolting,
{{quote|'''Mrs. Lovett:''' Is that just revolting,
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* [[The Ugly Guy's Hot Daughter]]: Sweeney Todd and Johanna. [[Justified Trope]] as 15 years in prison would not do wonders in the looks department.
* [[The Ugly Guy's Hot Daughter]]: Sweeney Todd and Johanna. [[Justified Trope]] as 15 years in prison would not do wonders in the looks department.
* [[Victoria's Secret Compartment]]: Mrs. Lovett {{spoiler|puts Pirelli's purse in hers}}.
* [[Victoria's Secret Compartment]]: Mrs. Lovett {{spoiler|puts Pirelli's purse in hers}}.
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* [[Villain Protagonist]]: Mr. Todd himself.
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* [[Villain Song]]: Almost ''every other song'', but especially "Epiphany."
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* [["The Villain Sucks" Song]]: "Poor Thing," which describes Judge Turpin's most despicable act.
* [[Villainous Breakdown]] / [[Villainous BSOD|BSOD]]: "Epiphany." Dear gods, "Epiphany." Also, Sweeney seems to descend into an even deeper circle of insanity hell after he finds out {{spoiler|he killed his own wife}}.
* [[Villainous Breakdown]] / [[Villainous BSOD|BSOD]]: "Epiphany." Dear gods, "Epiphany." Also, Sweeney seems to descend into an even deeper circle of insanity hell after he finds out {{spoiler|he killed his own wife}}.
** And a [["The Villain Sucks" Song|The Villain Protagonist Sucks song]] with "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" itself, of course.
** And a [["The Villain Sucks" Song|The Villain Protagonist Sucks song]] with "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" itself, of course.
* [[Villainous Crush]]: Judge Turpin for both Lucy and Johanna.
* [[Villainous Crush]]: Judge Turpin for both Lucy and Johanna.
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* [[Villain Protagonist]]: Mr. Todd himself.
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* [[Villain Song]]: Almost ''every other song'', but especially "Epiphany."
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* [["The Villain Sucks" Song]]: "Poor Thing," which describes Judge Turpin's most despicable act.
* [[Voice Types]]: Pretty much every voice type is represented:
* [[Voice Types]]: Pretty much every voice type is represented:
** Johanna - soprano
** Johanna - soprano
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Sweeney_Todd:_The_Demon_Barber_of_Fleet_Street_(theatre)"