Transcription
Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim andHugh WheelerThis show is set in London in 1849, during the Victorian era. The main character is a barber,Sweeney Todd, who has escaped from jail in Australia and returns to the street where helived happily with his wife and young baby. He meets Mrs Lovett, and the two becomefriends and business partners. However, Mrs Lovett tells him that his wife has killed herself,and that his daughter is being kept captive in the home of Judge Turpin. Todd is determinedto take revenge on the Judge and kill him, and the remainder of the play is full of murder andblood as Mrs Lovett’s pie business becomes very successful.MusicSince Sweeney Todd is a musical, you will need an experienced band or orchestra to performthe challenging music. The music is an important part of the show, adding a great deal tothe emotion and creating the tension. It also plays a key role beneath the dialogue, creatingatmosphere and moving the story forward. The location of the band will be important as itplays such a key role in the performance. In some productions, the band has been placedon the stage, in the pit or above the stage. The band could be given costumes to make thempart of the characters in the play. This musical was called a musical thriller, and the music isabsolutely key to the development of the story. The romantic and lyrical music is juxtaposedexcellently with the cruelty on stage. You could compare this with watching a horror film,where the music adds so much to create the necessary horror, and to scare the audience.The first productionThe musical was first staged in the Uris Theatre, New York, in 1979. It won eight Tony awards.Len Cariou played the part of Todd, and Angela Lansbury was Mrs Lovett.Despite this, it was not successful when it opened in Britain in 1980 at the Theatre Royal,Drury Lane. Denis Quilley was in the main role this time, and Sheila Hancock played the partof Mrs Lovett. The production was strongly criticised, and it had to close after four months.However, it later developed to become one of Sondheim’s most popular shows.UNIT 4: Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh WheelerBackground and summaryThe show was translated into Welsh in 2012 by Rhian Staples and was performed for thefirst time by Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun, in the Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare.Drama1
love violence revenge insanity obsession class status force and power death loneliness good triumphs over evil the role of music in creating atmosphere and emotion, like film music.It is important that you are aware of the themes, and how they will affect yourmethod of creating a performance of the play. The themes will affect the wayin which the characters behave. The set design and costumes can reflect thosethemes too.DramaUNIT 4: Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh WheelerThemes of the play2
Sondheim called the play a musical thriller, and the term 'Grand Guignol' has also been usedto describe it. The term ‘Grand Guignol’ was introduced in Paris at the end of the 1890s.Today, it is used to describe any type of dramatic entertainment which deals with horrificsubjects and graphic, terrifying violence. A 'Grand Guignol' evening can include short crimeplays, sexual farces, or horror plays which include blood and guts, throat-slitting, acidthrowing and similar events. Sweeney Todd undoubtedly contains plenty of these elements.There is no doubt that it is melodramatic throughout, but it also includes elements ofShakespearean tragedy, as well as a strong morality tale, which is that revenge ultimatelyleads to death, pain and the breakdown of relationships. It is undoubtedly a comedy that isfull of dark humour, as well as comical and romantic elements.The StageIdeally, the stage needsto be on two levels. Stairsare needed to go fromMrs Lovett’s pie shop toTodd’s room and to thechair which is central tothe play. Some sort ofchute is also needed, sothat the audience can seethe bodies slide down.There is a tendency toperform the show on a proscenium stage, but it would be very interesting to stage it on athrust, transverse or round stage, or as promenade theatre. The experience of the audienceis crucial, and the proxemics between the characters and the audience should be close inorder to intensify the tension and the theatrical experience. Another important aspect is theblood, and it should spurt everywhere, unless the production is symbolic. If this is the case,you could use red material, red lighting, sound effects and music to create the same sort ofintensity.DramaUNIT 4: Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh WheelerGrand Guignol3
Research the period of the play, namely 1849 (during the Victorian age). What type of society existed? What type of place was London during thisperiod? What sort of relationship do Todd and Mrs Lovett have? What is the story about Todd and Australia? Were poverty and murder integral parts of society? How relevant were revenge and killing in the period? Some characters have a high status in society – which characters arethey? How did poverty affect families? How did people deal with depression and mental health in the period? What type of clothes did people wear? Look for pictures and create acollection of these so that you can better understand the period. Perhaps your costumes will be modern? Will there be a theme in termsof colour? How can colour reflect the period and the themes?ADDITIONAL SOURCES:WJEC Drama GCE Notes SWEENEY TODD(WJEC website)UNIT 4: Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh WheelerTASK: THE PERIODYou could also search the internet fornotes on the play.Drama4
Acknowledgements1. Image of Sweeney Todd / Durham Musical Theatre CompanyUNIT 4: Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh WheelerImages and quotes used within this resource are used for educational (non-commercial)purposes only, to facilitate learning and to further explain concepts. Appropriateacknowledgement has been provided to all images. To the best of our knowledge, all imagesand quotes are being used in compliance with the Fair Use Policy; if there are omissions orinaccuracies please inform us so that any necessary corrections can be made. resources@wjec.co.ukDrama5
T Sweeney Todd y Seen Sonde nd eee Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler Background and summary This show is set in London in 1849, during the Victorian era. The main character is a barber, Sweeney Todd, who has escaped from jail in Australia and returns to the street where he lived happily with his wife and young baby.
