Show Synopsis:
Sweeney Todd comes to London with Anthony, a young sailor who rescued him from a raft drifting in the ocean and meets Mrs. Lovett, a woman with a failing pie shop in his old home. She recognizes him as the former barber Benjamin Barker and gives him back his old shaving tools. Sweeney wants to avenge his wife's rape and his unlawful arrest by the lustful and powerful Judge Turpin, who has taken his daughter Joanna and raised her as his own. Anthony and Joanna begin to fall in love with each other while the Judge plots marrying Joanna himself, and they plot an elopement while Judge Turpin plans his wedding. When Judge Turpin and his Beedle discover Anthony's plans, they lock Joanna in an asylum so that she will never be able to leave the Judge. Sweeney kills his old protege when he recognizes him as Benjamin Barker, and Mrs. Lovett posits the idea that Sweeney could kill people under the guise of shaving them so that she could get some decent meat for her pies. Her shop becomes a success, especially with the help of the mentally stunted Tobias, but Toby begins to put together the facts and realize that Mr. Todd might be dangerous. Mrs. Lovett is very frustrated that Sweeney does not care for her the way she cares for him, and Sweeney is frustrated that he has not found Joanna yet. When Anthony finds her, he enlists Mr. Todd's help to get her out, and succeeds, although Joanna has to kill the warden of the asylum. Mrs. Todd locks Tobias in the cellar, where she and Sweeney keep and cook all the bodies, because he has been asking too many questions. Joanna hides in Mr. Todd's barbershop and watches her foster father get murdered in front of her. Sweeney also has to kill the Old Beggar Woman who has wandered into his shop, and Joanna runs away from Sweeny in fright, not knowing he is her father. When he goes down to the cellar to deal with the bodies, he looks at the Beggar Woman and realizes that she was his wife, who Mrs. Lovett had said died. Mrs. Lovett confesses her love to him but he kills her and himself so that he can be with the woman he truly loves. Toby's has been frightened to an even more childlike state than before because of all that has happened, and the policeman, Anthony, and Joanna arrive with the police to find him pretending to make meat pies amidst the dead bodies.

Character:
Mrs. Lovett, a poor woman in her mid-40s who is struggling to get by; clever and possibly psychotic.

Song Context:
Tobias has told Mrs. Lovett that he suspects Mr. Todd might be a murderer, not knowing that Mrs. Lovett has been conspiring on the murders with him. Mrs. Lovett tries to reassure Tobias that he will be safe while frantically trying to figure out what to do with him now that he suspects the truth.

Fun Facts:
1. This musical was originally based on Christopher Bond's play of the same name, which was in turn based on a series of Victorian penny dreadfuls - short stories - called The String of Pearls. 
2. Angela Lansbury originated the role of Mrs. Lovett, and many elements of the character were written so that she could showcase her comic talent. She was honored with a Tony Award, an Emmy Award, and a Drama Desk Award for her performance. 
3. In an interview with MTV, Helena Bonham Carter talked about Mrs. Lovett's choices throughout Sweeney Todd after filming the role for the 2007 film adaptation: "In a way she is more reprehensible, yeah. But only because she loves him so much. She just can't bear to lose him, and that's why she lies. She is basically way more immoral, or amoral. She doesn't think twice about popping a body in a pie. Whereas he, you realize that he's really been just set off the deep end because of this horrible tragedy that's been dealt to him. ... But life was tough back then at the bottom of the pile in Victorian England. She's a tough, pragmatic survivor but really full of energy and zest and life."