Sweeney Todd Response- Laura Glucksman
The musical Sweeney Todd is different from the majority of musicals I have seen. It is filled with scenes no one wants to think of. However, there are also thoughts of love that lighten the atmosphere of the play.
The character Sweeney Todd, also known as Benjamin Barker, reacts to the past in choosing his actions. He does not care who he kills as long as he also kills Judge Turpin. Judge Turpin did some horrible things to Benjamin Barker including sentencing him to leave for fifteen years, courting Lucy, Benjamin Barker’s wife, and being cruel to Benjamin Button’s daughter Johanna. However, Sweeney Todd does not act as the victim of Judge Turpin. He does more horrific events than Judge Turpin. Sweeney Todd kills any customer that walks into his shop. This play is extremely dark and was hard to watch because of the disgusting thought of killing someone for no reason while they thought they are getting a shave. Another character that adds to the dark tone of Sweeney Todd is Mrs. Lovett. The people that Sweeney Todd has slain are turned into pies by Mrs. Lovett, and after that, she sells them at her restaurant. The restaurant is a success because people love the pies. The people eating are unaware they are eating their fellow humans, but the audience know. It is disgusting to watch the scene in the kitchen, especially when they have the meat grinding and you know it is human guts. Mrs. Lovett is also classless when she takes Adolfo Pirelli’s money as soon as she finds out Sweeney Todd has killed him.
Even given the darkness of the senseless killing of people, there are characters that lighten the mood of the play. Toby is an extremely likable character. He has had a terrible life. He is rescued by Adolfo Pirelli from horrible conditions.Then, Adolfo Pirelli becomes abusive to him. Next, he turns out to be Mrs. Lovett’s assistant at the restaurant, and she is kind to him. He really likes her, but he does not like Sweeney Todd. Toby is the person that ends up being the hero of the musical. He is the person who kills Sweeney Todd after Sweeney Todd kills Mrs. Lovett. Another likable character is Johanna. She has been locked up in her room forever. The audience feels bad for her because she is trapped in Judge Turpin’s house. She sings a song called “Green Finch and Linnet Bird” comparing herself to a bird stuck in a cage. Judge Turpin sends her to a mental asylum because she goes against him by trying to escape. Another character who is an extremely likable character is Anthony Hope. He is so infatuated with Johanna, he does not notice how bad of a person Sweeney Todd is. Anthony will do anything for this girl even if it puts his life in danger. The musical has both bad and good characters in it.
The music adds to the drama of Sweeney Todd. It is essential in establishing the mood of the show. Sweeney Todd is a famous, unusual, and extremely dark production.