Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

by Stephen Sondheim, Thomas Peckett Prest, Anonymous, et al.

Book Overview

Book by Hugh Wheeler

Introduction by Christopher Bond

"Mr. Sondheim fearlessly explores psychic caverns where civilized people are not dying to go ... A naked Sweeney Todd stands revealed as a musical of naked rage, chewing up everyone in its path as it spits out blood and tears." - Frank Rich, The New York Times - "A work of such scope and such daring that it dwarfs every other Broadway musical that even attempts to invite comparison."...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1557830665
• ISBN13: 9781557830661
• Release Date: May 2000
• Publisher: Applause Books
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.73 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Perfectly Executes its Objectives.

Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber etc or String of Pearls is an incredible novel (serial). It's top three in books I'm happiest to own. The story is seeped in such an incredible mood and handles all it's plot byways perfectly. It takes the vicious and beautiful characters of any other 1800s story and wraps them up into a tight well-formed, wonderfully written, endearing, page turner. In short it is entirely unsurprising that this original work has taken so many forms and the story has endured so long. Sweeney Todd is an ingenuitive villain who steals the show in the best way.

The original is always best

The $100 price tag is well worth the money to obtain this score for the original Broadway production. Although the movie version will stand alone on it's own merits, and the last New York revival went to some strange lengths to rework the staging for it's own ends, it is always best to see the original form. Having performed the role of Sweeney twice, myself, it is great to be able to own my own version of the score!

Sweeney Todd

Great collection, with the right keys and all music for show. Including the cut 'judge's song.'

An Absolutely Thrilling Piece!

Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd makes sure that the man will rank with the best musical theater composers as well as the best classical composers. His eclectic, thrilling score for Sweeney Todd includes patter songs for the wonderful Mrs. Lovett, incredible arias for Sweeney Todd and romantic ballads for the young lovers. Although it is priced at $100.00, it is nearly 400 pages long and includes every note of music in the show as well as plently of dialouge that is incoroporated into musical scenes.

Sondheim's Best.

It was so wonderful to buy this book and to have the entirity of the musical right at my finger tips word for word. It's truly one of the best musicals ever concocted and Sondheim is a genius. I reccomend this to everyone whose a fan of the show.. if you're not familiar with the show, it might seem a little strange to you..

The Demon Review of Fleet Street!

"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: A Musical Thriller" is perhaps the most intense dark comedy ever. The musical is not intended for those of the weak at heart. The musical is about a mad Barber who wants nothing but revenge on the judge who unjustly transported him to a prison in Australia. Having lost his first chance at the Judge, he vows to murder any one who is a costomer. The Musical shows Sondheims power when it comes to moving music. This musical touches and dares to rattle the very foundation of society as the story becomes an example of how men do not kill because they want to, men becomes killers because they are programed to. The lyrics are incredeble and very realistic... I dare even say, as I sit here writing this, I can still hear the acute shrilling of the factory whistle and from a distance Sweeney inviting me to sit on his chair.