Rproductions’s Weblog

by

Brazillia R. Kreep

The history of the Barber of Fleet Street is as long a winding road as any title character has ventured. Todd himself first appeared in 1846 as a villain of a popular “penny dreadful” (so coined because of the cost & the content) magazine serial entitled The String of Pearls. It was a hit. In 1920 he surfaced on the boards in a melodrama penned by George Dibdin-Pitt simply entitled Sweeney Todd. Then our Mr. Todd made several film appearances in English fare until he landed back on the boards in an American Broadway Musical, music and lyrics by the Great White Way icon Stephen Sondheim. That production transformed the dastardly Todd into a forlorn anti-hero instead of the murderous robber he truly was. Who could complain, really? It starred two titans of the stage Len Cariou as the deranged Sweeney and Angela Lansbury as the scene-stealing, love-starved Mrs. Lovett. And fun was had by all. Sweeney has seen several stage revivals until the Demon Barber waited patiently to be brought back to life by a super star, pretty-boy, actor extraordinaire named mister Johnny Depp-thank you very much. 

A Gothic treat, a naughty piece of eye candy that seldom disappoints, Mr. Burton’s blood ballet is a lovely slice of art. It is not the penny magazine or the stage play or even the musical it was based upon, but an entirely new beast. A terrifying opera with fangs where Depp sings his bloody heart out. He holds it up for all to see, still beating, dripping crimson-goo as he rock-stars all over the celluloid screen. Wonderful. See it on DVD in a Deluxe set with all the pomp and circumstance affordable for the price. Just remember to pay homage to a villain on equal footing as The Ripper, play it at the witching hour with the lights out, a few candles burning around the house. A glass of red wine, a potpie perhaps, and, oh yes… there will be blood. 

THE ROT OF SWEENEY TODD 

In the attic there he rots
Sweeney Todd plots n’ plots
Of ways to spill the blood of men
Then spill some more t’say amen 
T’nightmare’s of his great love lost
Aught t’avenge at any cost
Sharp razor blades
Pot Pies in spades
The Demon Barber shaves n’ shaves 
Though a price this Todd will pay
Sweltering plates of blood t’weigh
T’pour them over frozen heart
Thaw the pain t’dare depart
From filthy attic in the sky
Down below were demon’s fry
T’devil’s purge by fires hot
Fore’er our Sweeney Todd will rot 

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