Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, US & Canada Ed.

A sensational story of murder and pie-making, Sweeney Todd is a classic of British horror writing, widely adapted in print and on stage, most famously by Stephen Sondheim, whose unlikely "musical thriller" won eight Tony awards. This edition offers the original story with all its atmospheric Victorian trimmings. The story of Todd's murderous partnership with pie-maker Margery Lovett—at once inconceivably unpalatable and undeniably compelling—has subsequently set the table for a seemingly endless series of successful dramatic adaptations, popular songs and ballads, novellas, radio plays, graphic novels, ballets, films, and musicals. Both gleeful and ghoulish, the original tale of Sweeney Todd, first published under the title The String of Pearls, combines the story of Todd's grisly method of robbing and dispatching his victims—by way of Mrs. Lovett's meat pies—with a romantic sub-plot involving deception, disguise, and detective work, set against the backdrop of London's dark and unsavory streets. Editor Robert Mack 'fleshes' out the story with a fascinating introduction touching on the origins of the tale, the growth of the legend, and a history of its many retellings. Mack also includes explanatory notes that point out interesting aspects, plus a full chronology of the many versions of Sweeney Todd. Since Sweeney Todd first entered the public imagination in the mid-nineteenth-century, his exploits have chilled and fascinated audiences around the world. This new edition allows modern readers to savor the ghastly original in all its gruesome glory. Contents......Page 6 Introduction......Page 8 Note on the Text......Page 30 A Select Chronology......Page 32 Map: Sweeney Todd’s London......Page 39 SWEENEY TODD......Page 40 1. The Strange Customer at Sweeney Todd’s......Page 42 2. The Spectacle-Maker’s Daughter......Page 51 3. The Dog and the Hat......Page 58 4. The Pie-shop in Bell-yard......Page 67 5. The Meeting in the Temple......Page 74 6. The Conference, and the Fearful Narration in the Garden......Page 82 7. The Barber and the Lapidary......Page 92 8. The Thieves’ Home......Page 97 9. Johanna at Home, and the Resolution......Page 108 10. The Colonel and his Friend......Page 116 11. The Stranger at Lovett’s......Page 130 12. The Resolution Come to by Johanna Oakley......Page 138 13. Johanna’s Interview with Arabella Wilmot, and the Advice......Page 151 14. Tobias’s Threat, and its Consequences......Page 160 15. The Second Interview between Johanna and the Colonel in the Temple-gardens......Page 163 16. The Barber Makes Another Attempt to Sell the String of Pearls......Page 169 17. The Great Change in the Prospects of Sweeney Todd......Page 176 18. Tobias’s Adventures during the Absence of Sweeney Todd......Page 181 19. The Strange Odour in Old St Dunstan’s Church......Page 188 20. Sweeney Todd’s Proceedings Consequent upon the Departure of Tobias......Page 193 21. The Misadventure of Tobias.—The Mad-House on Peckham Rye......Page 200 22. The Mad-House Cell......Page 205 23. The New Cook to Mrs Lovett Gets Tired of his Situation......Page 210 24. The Night at the Mad-House......Page 217 25. Mr Fogg’s Story at the Mad-House to Sweeney Todd......Page 223 26. Colonel Jeffery Makes Another Effort to Come at Sweeney Todd’s Secret......Page 237 27. Tobias Makes an Attempt to Escape from the Mad-House......Page 245 28. The Mad-House Yard, and Tobias’s New Friend......Page 249 29. The Consultation of Colonel Jeffery with the Magistrate......Page 255 30. Tobias’s Escape from Mr Fogg’s Establishment......Page 260 31. The Rapid Journey to London of Tobias......Page 278 32. The Announcement in Sweeney Todd’s Window. Johanna Oakley’s Adventure......Page 281 33. The Discoveries in the Vaults of St Dunstan’s......Page 286 34. Johanna Alone.—The Secret.—Mr Todd’s Suspicions.—The Mysterious Letter......Page 291 35. Sweeney Todd Commences Clearing the Road to Retirement......Page 296 36. The Last Batch of the Delicious Pies......Page 301 37. The Prisoner’s Plan of Escape from the Pies......Page 306 38. Sweeney Todd Shaves a Good Customer.—The Arrest......Page 311 39. The Conclusion......Page 317 Explanatory Notes......Page 322 Suggestions for Further Reading......Page 336 A sensational story of murder and pie-making, Sweeney Todd is a classic of British horror writing, widely adapted in print and on stage, most famously by Stephen Sondheim, whose unlikely "musical thriller" won eight Tony awards. This edition offers the original story with all its atmospheric Victorian trimmings. The story of Todd's murderous partnership with pie-maker Margery Lovett--at once inconceivably unpalatable and undeniably compelling--has subsequently set the table for a seemingly endless series of successful dramatic adaptations, popular songs and ballads, novellas, radio plays, graphic novels, ballets, films, and musicals. Both gleeful and ghoulish, the original tale of Sweeney Todd, first published under the title The String of Pearls, combines the story of Todd's grisly method of robbing and dispatching his victims--by way of Mrs. Lovett's meat pies--with a romantic sub-plot involving deception, disguise, and detective work, set against the backdrop of London's dark and unsavory streets. Editor Robert Mack 'fleshes' out the story with a fascinating introduction touching on the origins of the tale, the growth of the legend, and a history of its many retellings. Mack also includes explanatory notes that point out interesting aspects, plus a full chronology of the many versions of Sweeney Todd. Since Sweeney Todd first entered the public imagination in the mid-nineteenth-century, his exploits have chilled and fascinated audiences around the world. This new edition allows modern readers to savor the ghastly original in all its gruesome glory. Both gleeful and ghoulish, the original tale of Sweeney Todd, first published under the title The String of Pearls, combines the story of Todd's grisly method of robbing and dispatching his victims--by way of Mrs. Lovett's meat pies--with a romantic sub-plot involving deception, disguise, and detective work, set against the backdrop of London's dark and unsavory streets. Features an introduction and explanatory notes