Sweeney Todd. It's all Mrs. Lovett's fault!

I wonder if there is a thesis somewhere on this, or if I am contemplating something really dumb.

Last week we had a conversation regarding who was more evil: Sweeney Todd or Mrs. Lovett? Based on memory (I hadn't seen it in years, really, since I was little) I thought "Well, Sweeney of course. He did it for revenge, and his indiscriminate killing was only something to quell his bloodlust until he got the Judge."

But I finished watching it today, and I forgot that Darth Vader was Luke's dad. Yes, I said it. I said it not to spoil it for someone who hadn't seen it. That, and I thought it was funny. But yes -- Mrs. Lovett is the reason Sweeney Todd went on his rampage, the pie business was just a bonus.

I am not sure if I think that her relationship with Toby is completely redeeming, only because of how she resolves the issue, furthermore, the resolution of his discovery is dichotomous with how she handles the situation. "Not While I'm Around" is a complete lie. Toby may actually be the most virtuous character in the whole story, poor kid. Freaky how he ends up though, the world crumbles around him - and he thinks the one person (Mrs. Lovett) he though cared about him is also a "demon."

Gah. I wish this was a paper on the psychology of the story, not on the specific production. I am not musically educated enough to comment on harmonies and scores... I need 1500 more words.

Well, I should get back to trying anyway.

2000 word paper, so far.

So below I am cutting the 942 words I have so far before I go to class. I am posting this so my musical friends can give me feedback - mostly I am curious if I am using the correct terminology, not if you agree with me -- Then again, if you are not familiar with this particular performance, then I guess my opinion on Betsy Joslyn who played Johanna won't matter. :-P

This is incredibly rudimentary, only a first draft -- I know it needs work on organization. I still have 1000 words to go, so lots will change. I just need to get in the correct rut for writing this type of thing.

(this is the 1982 filmed stage performance with Angela Lansbury and George Hearn)

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Thanks for reading, if you did :) otherwise, I completely understand why you may not have :-P