Sweeney Todd

Day Two, Week Six, Fall 2023

Agenda

-Check-In: Sweeney/Lovett Comparisons

-Object Reverence

-Exit Ticket Questions

-The Trouble with Toby

-Sweeney and Capitalism

-To-Do for Next Class

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A Reminder from Last Class

Michael Cerveris and Patti LuPone (2005)

Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter (2007)

Bryn Terfel and Emma Thompson (2014)

Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford (2023)

From the Videos Last Class…

In small groups of 3-4 consider…

-Are you noticing any differences between these Sweeneys and Mrs. Lovetts? Is there a standout combo or individual(s)? What sets them apart?

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-What characteristics do you believe should be the focus of these characters/actors when casting? Age, looks, qualities, etc.

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-How does appearance (costumes, aesthetics, make-up, etc.) seem to influence these versions of Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett?

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Choose ONE question to answer in the forum post. Only one person from the group needs to post, but the post needs to include all group member names.

-Are you noticing any differences between these Sweeneys and Mrs. Lovetts? Is there a standout combo or individual(s)? What sets them apart?

​

-What characteristics do you believe should be the focus of these characters/actors when casting? Age, looks, qualities, etc.

​

-How does appearance (costumes, aesthetics, make-up, etc.) seem to influence these versions of Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett?

​

Exit Ticket Question:

Are there criticisms regarding body horror and its focus on Differently abled bodies?

Absolutely! ‘Body Horror,’ or the Horror genre in general, has been severely criticized for its lack of care regarding its treatment of LGBTQ+, differently abled, gendered, and other minority or global majority bodies in the 21st century. Unfortunately, these references can be very coded and are often only criticized by scholars in fields like Disability Studies or those who are negatively represented. Negative depictions generally still make money in the box office.

Silence of the Lambs was a major success but negatively depicted Buffalo Bill as being ‘gender confused’ and a serial killer.

Exit Ticket Question:

Does Sweeney kill everyone who goes to the Barber Shop?

Nope! Take a look at this clip to find your answer.

Exit Ticket Question:

Are there any ‘hints’ in the music for Mrs. Lovett?

Mrs. Mooney has a pie shop

Does a business but I notice somethin' weird

Lately all her neighbors' cats have disappeared

Have to hand it to her, wot I calls

Enterprise poppin' pussies into pies!

Wouldn't do in my shop

Just the thought of it's enough to make you sick

And I'm tellin' you, them pussycats is quick

Exit Ticket Question:

Why do different adaptations of Sweeney?

-different theme focuses/style

-different orchestration

-good economics

-nice sized ensemble

-actors actively seeking to play the parts, but in their own way

Object Reverence: An Actor’s Perspective

-What objects do we treat with care on the stage?

-How do we hold the object?

-Does the object have history within the story or in the culture that it is in?

-Is the object the key to unlocking a character?

-Is it breakable or valuable in some way?

-Does the object continue to return?

-Check-In: What objects are treated with care in Sweeney?

Object Reverence: A Production Perspective

Note that the objects that are essential to the production are not automatically ‘revered objects.’ They’re important (like the blood in Sweeney), but reverence is more about being cherished in the storyline.

TW: creation of fake blood

Exit Ticket Question:

What Happened with Lucy/The Beggar Woman?

-Lucy is Sweeney’s wife and the mother of Johanna

-the Judge desires Lucy and falsely accuses Benjamin Barker (later Sweeney Todd), which leads to a lifetime prison sentence

-the Judge assaults Lucy, which causes her to poison herself

-Lucy survives the poisoning but permanently affected mentally (which Mrs. Lovett knows even before Sweeney returns) and Johanna is adopted by the Judge

-Lucy becomes the beggar woman and vaguely recognizes Sweeney when he returns/escapes from prison- she hangs around Sweeney and Johanna the entire play

-Lucy is the only character that seems to recognize Sweeney’s rampage from the outside but no one believes her (Cassandra figure)

-caught up in his desperation for revenge, Sweeney murders Lucy (in front of Johanna, who is hiding in the chest) only to recognize his mistake once she’s dead

The Trouble with Toby

The Trouble with Toby

-the cycle of abuse, teaching violence, and types of love

-child labor in the industrial era

-In small groups, discuss: How do we cast a Toby appropriately for the themes we would like to emphasize?

We meet Toby selling Pirelli’s elixir

Pirelli returns with Toby to blackmail Sweeney; Mrs. Lovett takes care of Toby downstairs

Toby has nowhere to go after Pirelli ‘disappears’ and stays

Mrs. Lovett uses Toby’s selling skills to market pies

Toby grows suspicious of Sweeney and sings “Not While I’m Around” to Mrs. Lovett

Toby hides after discovering the secret behind the pies; Mrs. Lovett dies and he kills Sweeney as revenge

The Trouble with Toby

-Who survives the play?

-Johanna: the horror trope of the ‘virginal’ survivor (why Johanna is often dressed in white); may be a temporary survivor

-Anthony: the naive male lead; may be a temporary survivor

-Toby: likely heading to prison for killing Sweeney (notable different endings and possibilities), may be framed for all of Sweeney’s crimes

Sweeney as a Capitalist Critique

Sweeney as a Capitalist Critique

Sweeney and Capitalism

-the repulsive industry environment of the set

-contrast between Anthony and Sweeney’s views of London: a cautionary tale

-hierarchies and Sweeney’s disruption

-what happens to Sweeney’s family and the Judge

-who is at the top? the privileged and those who cheat

-who can disappear? Sweeney says anyone

-the draw of the commodity and ‘eat the rich’

Sweeney and Capitalism

In small groups, consider:

-What else could be used to emphasize capitalism or industrialism within the musical? Props, costumes, aesthetics, music, set, etc.

-Is capitalism a theme that resonates with our contemporary era, or should we be emphasizing other themes?

-What are the casting considerations or cultural aspects that could be used to elevate or shift a version of Sweeney Todd?

Who is Next? Coming Feb. 2024

Aaron Tveit as the new Sweeney Todd

Sutton Foster as the new Mrs. Lovett

To Do

-Post in the Forum on Sweeney Todd

-Read M. Butterfly for Tuesday

-Work on Final Scene Proposal

FYI: I’m away at a conference this weekend and may take longer to answer any emails! If I don’t respond quickly, it isn’t because I don’t care!