Sweeney Todd, Walking a Razor’s Edge Between the Dreary and the Droll
Original Album Art for "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” (1979).
It’s October, which means it’s Halloween, which means I’m about to become insufferable. Yes, what some would call “Spooky Season” is upon us, and it’s one of my favorite times of the year, not just because of the holiday itself, but because of all the creepy-crawly paraphernalia that accompanies the return of Halloween.
Namely, the return of Halloween means I get to do what I love best: I get to watch scary movies, or really, any piece of art that lends itself to the overall atmosphere that October shepherds. So, as a special tric…I mean, treat* for the month of October, my next four posts will all focus on or highlight some of my favorite pieces of art that I deem to be Halloween Content™️, devoid of any specific metric or reasoning.
To kick off the festivities, I’ve chosen to discuss Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, a grisly musical tale of revenge and pie-making that has (without fail) alienated me from every single friend or family member I’ve shown it to. And, in fairness, there’s a couple of things I could point to in the show that could explain this phenomenon.
For example, the plot of the musical revolves around the violent and cannibalistic schemes of an ex-con and barber, who meticulously and gruesomely murders those he deems deserving of death in such a manner that would make even Tarantino ask, “Was that perhaps a bit much? I mean I’m eating!”
To elaborate, Sweeney Todd, which features music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, follows the titular demonic barber (who until recently was known as Benjamin Barker) on his quest to seek revenge on the pious judge responsible for the rape and subsequent death of his wife, as well as the forced adoption of his child, now the judge’s ward and object of unsettling affections.
Adopting the surname Todd, Sweeney teams up with his downstairs neighbor Mrs. Lovett, who realizes she stands to benefit in aiding and abetting his murderous tendencies. As the bodies pile up, she gets the idea to use the victims Todd slaughters as meat for her pies (the English kind), as she laments that the price of meat “[...] when you get it, if you get it [...]” is far too expensive to keep her tiny business afloat.
Very upsetting, yes? Sounds like a ridiculous idea for a musical, yes? No, you fool!
Sweeney may be “out there” in its sensibilities, and has occasionally been criticized by sycophants and enemies of the state for being overly nihilistic or outrageous. However, in my opinion, to criticize Sweeney for its dreary worldview or (conversely) its overtly bizarre premise is to miss out on its joys entirely.
Mrs. Lovett (Angela Lansbury) and Sweeney Todd (Len Cariou) in the Original Broadway company.
Sweeney, which is based on a character from a Victorian-era penny dreadful entitled The String of Pearls, as well as a play of the same name, combines ridiculousness and dreariness so seamlessly that to point out this juxtaposition of tone as a “flaw” is to actually compliment the breadth and depth of the piece itself. Throughout the play, Sondheim manages to interweave both Sweeney’s comedic and dramatic sensibilities perfectly in conjunction with a character-driven tale of revenge gone mad, all expertly counterbalanced with a deliciously dark sense of humor that’s too unique to ignore.
To me, this counterbalancing act is what makes Sweeney so thrilling to watch. It’s a rare piece of art that manages to undercut the dramatic premise at its core with gruesome hilarity without so much as a shred of tongue-in-cheek; a move that often seems to say to the audience: “Don’t invest in this story, it’s all silly anyway.”
On a personal note, I despise this approach to art. When a piece of art doesn’t seem to believe in its own stakes, or its own mission, what chance do I have in investing in it myself?
Rather, Sweeney (originally played by Len Cariou) desperately wants you to invest in his story, and even temporarily acts as a narrator in the show’s first number, inviting you to “Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd.” As our protagonist, Sweeney leads the piece with sweeping ballads and dramatic flourishes, all the while making expert use of his sympathetic wiles to lure us in.
Meanwhile, Sweeney is also peppered with humor that stems mainly from our leading lady Mrs. Lovett (played by Angela Lansbury in the original Broadway company), as well as from a few of the secondary characters. However, despite running in opposition to Todd’s all-consuming melancholy, these characters’ droll sensibilities offer up moments of comedic relief that keep the story somewhat grounded, all the while alleviating the dramatic tension to the point of saving the audience from wallowing in complete despair.
Michael Cerveris and Patti LuPone as Todd and Lovett, respectively, in the 2005 Broadway Revival cast.
And despair there is a-plenty. Working against these comedic flairs is, of course, Todd himself, whose quest for revenge stems from a deeply nihilistic worldview, as well as an unsettling desire for bloodshed, however sympathetic his original purposes may be. By the end of the first act, Todd’s melancholy turns to mania, as the grief he harbors for his deceased wife morphs into an insatiable bloodlust that seemingly cannot be quelled.
And yet, this sequence (entitled “Epiphany”), in which Todd realizes and subsequently expresses his contempt for life and the world around him, flows subtly and sublimely into the highly macabre yet comedic sequence wherein Mrs. Lovett suggests they use the body of Todd’s most recent victim “[...] as thrift, as a gift, if you get my drift?” and recycle the extra “supplies” they have on hand into meat pies. Sustainability queen!
This number further transforms into an extended sequence in which Todd and Lovett imagine the many varieties of meat pie they could serve via pun-tastic lyricism. For example, Mrs. Lovett suggests Todd try “the priest,” which Sweeney samples and deems “heavenly,” in turn. If only they could have more, Mrs. Lovett laments: “Trouble is, we only get it on Sundays.” They continue, and Todd and Lovett insist they won’t discriminate in their use of meat, whether that meat should come from a tinker, tailor, potter, butler, or even a locksmith. Try coming up with a pun based rhyme for that last one. You can’t! Sondheim tried before you!
Whenever I try to pitch Sweeney Todd to friends or family, I usually pitch them this sequence as the core selling point of the show. How deliciously droll! How morbidly macabre! “Isn’t that hilarious?” I ask, unwilling to hear reason. Typically, I get a wide swath of doubtful stares, ranging from unsure glances to hard looks of judgement.
Emma Thompson and Bryn Terfel in the 2014 Revival Concert, staged alongside the New York Philharmonic.
I’ve never understood this reaction. Isn’t that what Halloween Content™️ is all about? Horror and fun? Fun and horror? Isn’t Halloween our way of trying to make light of the darkness of the world? We dress in costumes of monsters and evil beings, all in an attempt to conquer or explore our fears and the rationales behind them. Sweeney does all this and more, all through an epic tale of revenge, sharply punctured by darkly comedic jabs riddled with witty lyricism and spell-binding melodies. It is, perhaps, the perfect musical to watch during Halloween, and not that other one with the masked fellow I keep hearing so much about.
And, on top of all its fantastic entertainment value, Sweeney gives you melodrama and genuine horror comparable to any top-tier psychological thriller. Sweeney reflects on the darkness inherent in our humanity, while never succumbing to complete despair, and always indulging in the type of eerie tonality that makes the Halloween season truly delightful.
I’ll be revisiting Sweeney this Halloween, as I can think of no better place to go trick-or-treating (metaphorically speaking) than up-and-down the twisted, grisly paths of Fleet Street. I hope to see you there, just be wary of demonic barbers offering up free shaves.
The Original Broadway production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is available to stream on BroadwayHD.
*I’m sorry