Chapter 2 everyone! I'm watching and listening to the entire Sweeney Todd 1982 broadway show while I'm writing the play part. Wish me luck.

DISCLAIMER: i DO NOT own Harry Potter or Sweeney Todd!


The ticket line looked like it went on for days. But Serus and her parents had reserved seats, so they made their way past the waiting show-goers and gave their tickets to the man in the booth and afterwards they were shown to their seats in the balcony area. Serus and her parents sat themselves down and waited for the show to start. They got there 15 minutes early so they wouldn't miss anything and so they didn't have to wait an hour.

When the lights dimmed, Serus began feel excited. The sound of organ music began to play softly in an eerie tone. The lights turned on to reveal a large tapestry that towered in the middle of the stage. Two performers showed themselves on the stage and went to stand on both sides of the tapestry. As they both grasped onto their sides of the tapestry, the organ music began to die down.

A sudden screeching sound made Serus jump! During this gut wrenching noise, the performers pulled the tapestry down from the hangings. Then all went dark.

When the light slowly lit back on, there stood a crowd of people dressed in 1800s London attire. One of them, a man with a cane, walked to the center stage and began to sing.

"Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd.
His skin was pale and his eye was odd.
He shaved the faces of gentlemen
Who never thereafter were heard of again.
He trod a path that few have trod,
Did Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"

Serus watched on as several people sang about this murderous barber who paved his way in their minds in blood. They sang about his evil traits and quirks until they suddenly all began chanting his name, giving Serus a spine-tingling chill, while surrounding a structure that looked similar to an olden time oven. As they said his full name once more, they all scattered to reveal a ghostly looking man with a look that screamed "murder!" Serus knew this man had to be portraying the evil barber the people were singing about. Her thoughts stopped as the barber began to sing too.

"Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd!
He served a dark and a vengeful god
What happened then, well that's the play,
And he wouldn't want us to give it away. Not Sweeney,
Not Sweeney Todd, The demon barber of Fleet Street."

The people then scurried off the stage and the lights dimmed. When the audience started to clap, Serus clapped her hands vigorously. She anxiously waited for the light to dim back on. She wanted to see more about the killer barber!

The play went on to show many characters and scenarios. A kind young sailor named Antony who saved Sweeney from death at sea. A promiscuous beggar woman who just plain gave her the creeps! The eccentric pie-maker Mrs. Lovett who she found to be quite hilarious and became an instant favorite in her mind. The corrupt Judge Turpin and his immoral lackey Beadle Bamford. The Judge with his greedy and conceited mannerisms reminded her of both her father and Lucius Malfoy in many ways. As she watched Mrs. Lovett relay the story of the fate of Sweeney's wife Lucy at the hands of the Judge, Serus wanted to look away as the Judge character made himself to look like he was violating her, but try as she might, she couldn't tear her eyes away from the stage. Her heart tore as Sweeney screamed in anguish and her blood boiled when he learned his daughter was adopted by the same Judge. She watched in wonder as he caressed his beloved silver razors and rejoiced as if reuniting with a long lost friend.

When Sweeney finished his ballad, the scene changed to a young woman looking as if she was standing from a window feeding the birds belonging to a salesman who called her Johanna. Serus became most entranced when she began to sing a most peculiar song.

"Green finch, and linnet bird,
Nightingale, blackbird,
How is it you sing?
How can you jubilate
sitting in cages
never taking wing?
Outside the sky waits
beckoning!
Beckoning!
Just beyond the bars.
How can you remain
staring at the rain
maddened by the stars?
How is it you sing
anything?
How is it you sing?"

Serus felt her heart sing with Johanna whose voice reminded her of something she was very much akin to.

A caged bird. Unable to spread its wings. The sound of her voice being the only thing that escapes imprisonment.

"My cage has many rooms
damask and dark...
Nothing there sings,
not even my lark.
Larks never will, you know,
when they're captive.
Teach me to be more
adaptive.
Ah...
Green Finch, and Linnet Bird,
nightingale, blackbird,
teach me how to sing.
If I cannot fly...
Let me sing."

Serus stopped contemplating when she caught of Antony gazing at Johanna in wonder and awe. The look on Antony's face could only be described as what Serus referred to as a fairy tale emotion called "love at first sight."

Serus watched as Antony began sing jovially out of love and heartache as he begged for her to gaze upon him. When he finally received her eyes on him though she jumped up and ran from the window, at the same time the beggar woman from the first act came begging for money while clutching a baby doll made of rags. Antony gave her a few schillings and asked her for the name of who lives in house before him and of the young lady who resides there. The half-crazed woman told him that it was the "Great" Judge Turpin's house and that Johanna was as she referred as "his pretty little ward." Antony dodged the beggar's sexual advances and made his way to the bird salesman and asked for the most beautiful sounding one. When he asked why his chosen bird beat his wings on the bars, the salesman tells him that all the birds are blind and yet they attempt to fly and continue to sing.

Serus felt his sorrow for the birds that he compared to the perpetually caged Johanna. Johanna then appeared again and walked down the steps to Antony causing him to sing and croon to her as they gingerly touched hands. Serus' feelings of contentment shattered at the sight of Judge Turpin and Beadle Bamford. The Judge looked infuriated at the sight of the young lovers. Although they confessed to having no ill intentions, Johanna was scolded and sent running in fear and disgust at her controlling adopted father's sexual innuendo while the Beadle took Antony's songbird and snapped its neck making Serus cringe. Antony, undeterred by their threats, sang with great fervor of his vow to free Johanna from her luxurious prison and take her away with him so that they may live in happiness.

Serus wished for someone who could do the same for her.


The play went on to show Sweeney's victory over an Italian barber called Pirelli as well as Pirelli's subsequent murder and Mrs. Lovett takes in Pirelli's work boy Toby as a second hand around the shop. Serus as well as the audience could feel Sweeney's anger and frustration when he came so close to throating Judge Turpin only to be interrupted by Antony who revealed his plans to take away Johanna and angering Judge Turpin who vowed never to visit his shop again and hide Johanna away from Antony as well as all men. Serus felt revolted yet amused at Mrs. Lovett's plan to get rid of Pirelli's body by baking him and many of Sweeney's unfortunate customers into meat pies. (this is all true! It's too stupid to make up! XD) The song that followed had Serus giggling out of control, earning her several looks from nearby audience members, especially from her parents. Her laughter increased when Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney started to make several grim jokes regarding what (or who) makes up which pie, which earned her a slap on her knee from her mother.

"Keep it down or you'll be sent to the lobby!" she whispered harshly. Serus stopped almost instantly.

Serus did her best to stifle her laughter as the song continued. This song was now her absolute favorite. When it ended, the stage went dark and the audience began rise. Serus felt disappointment rise in her stomach.

Serus turned to her mother and asked, "The play's not over, is it?"

"No Serus. It's just an intermission. Better run to lavatory while you have the chance. But be quick about it, they won't let you back in if you don't return in time." Replied her mother.

Serus nodded and dashed away through the doors. The disappointment she felt was actually nature calling. When she reached the lobby, she looked around for the lavatory. Then Serus slapped her forehead. She forgot to ask where the bathroom was! The pressure in her lower abdomen increased, making Serus cross her legs. She did a double-take and became increasingly frustrated. She was too shy to ask a random passerby, and she couldn't tell apart the theater staff. A sudden tap on the shoulder nearly made her pee herself. She turned around and saw the least likely person she thought to see.

It was Sweeney Todd himself!

Serus didn't know what to do. Her mother told her countless times to NEVER talk to strangers because they will trick her and try to hurt her. 'He's just an actor. He can't be as bad as he looks.' Suddenly, the man smiled and said,"You seem pretty lost. Looking for someone?"

Serus shook her head and hesitantly replied, "D-do you know...where I can find the loo?"

The Todd actor thought to himself and then pointed to a certain direction. Serus looked and caught sight of the women's restroom sign. But she couldn't move. The pressure hurt so bad, she was afraid she would lose control if she moved. The man gave her nudge causing her to look up at him. "Need a hand?" Serus gave him a confused face. Before she knew it, the man had picked her up under her arms and was carrying her towards to restroom with her legs dangling in the air. When they reached the door, he set her down and gave her a small shove towards the door. Serus didn't need to be told twice! She ran through the door and dashed to the nearest stall. She had barely made it. When she was done, she washed her hands and walked outside. The actor was waiting a few feet from the door.

"I suspect everything went alright then?" Serus nodded and said, "Thank you sir."

"Not a problem. I have little 'uns of my own you know. All girls." he replied. He then knelt down to her level and said, "Enjoying the show so far?"

"Yes sir." Serus replied shyly.

"Strange. This play is far from childrens' material. Your parents allowed you to come?"

"It...it was my mother's idea. It was for my birthday."

"Is that so? Happy Birthday then young lady. How old are you now?"

"...Eleven sir." replied Serus.

"Eleven! So grown up! Do you know what you want to be when you grow up?"

Serus paused at this. She actually never thought about it before. She was hardly any good at anything really. She could read and write as good as any adult, play chess, and identify insects but that was about it. She could only give the plainest of answers.

"I don't know."

"No worries. It'll come to you when you get a wee bit older."

DING! DING!

The fancy grandfather clock in the lobby went off to sound the hour. The actor suddenly jumped to his feet.

"Oh dear! I need to get backstage! The second act is about begin. Shall I escort you to the doors Miss...?" says Sweeney as he holds out a hand.

"Uhh...Serus sir."

Serus was not comfortable giving her hand to stranger, but then again her mother said to always be respectable to adults. "He did help me get to the loo in time." Serus pushed her uncertainties aside and took his hand. They dashed to the theater doors before they closed. Before she walked in, the actor stopped her by the shoulder and asked, "Do you have your ticket?" Serus fumbled around her dress pockets and pulled it out. The actor suddenly swiped it out of her hand then pulled a pen from his pocket. After a few strokes with the pen, he handed it back to Serus. On the stub, it read:

"Happy Birthday Serus!
From your good friend,
Sweeney Todd"

"Happy Birthday." says Sweeney. He then turned and walked to the employee's entrance. Serus stared at her autographed ticket as if to etch every detail into her memory. When the theater staff started closing the doors, Serus walked in and made her way back to her seat with her parents. She sat down next to her mother who then said, "What took you?"

Serus only said, "Had trouble finding the loo." The lights then dimmed and applause rised and fell as the second act began.


"Toby!"

"Coming! 'Scuse me!"

"Ale there!"

"Right mum!"

"Quick now!"

"GOD, THAT'S GOOD!"

Serus watched as the second act continued on with the serving of Mrs. Lovett's human meat pies to the unsuspecting public of London and Antony's unending search for his beloved Johanna. Sweeney mused about how he never see his Johanna ever again as Antony searched the streets of London until he reached a mad house called Fogg's Asylum which served as Johanna's prison.

Serus found Mrs. Lovett's song of a fantasy life with Mr. Todd to be less as amusing as the others. Mr. Todd obviously wasn't sharing her enthusiasm. His mind still hung on revenge on the Judge and his dear wife Lucy. Serus started feeling bitter sympathy towards this character. Revenge had already poisoned his heart, leaving no room for love towards anyone. Including his own daughter. Serus couldn't stand the thought of living as he does. The play rolled on as Antony revealed Johanna's location to Todd and Mrs. Lovett. It was then Sweeney got the idea of disguising Antony as a wig maker's apprentice to enter the asylum and break out Johanna while he lured in Judge Turpin with a note telling him that Sweeney saved Johanna from the sailor and that she was at his shop.

"Hopeless fool."

Serus looked to her father. "All this trouble over one woman. I can tell this will not end well." he muttered under his breath.

(SPOILERS! SKIP THIS PART IF YOU EVER PLAN ON WATCHING SWEENEY TODD YOURSELF!)

Serus looked to her mother, who was too distracted to even hear her father's muttering. She turned her attention back to the play as Toby stated his suspicions to Mrs. Lovett about Mr. Todd. Mrs. Lovett, worried about their secret getting out, locks Toby in the bake house to keep him from running to the authorities. Beadle Bamford then shows up to check the bake house because of smoke and odor complaints. Sweeney sways him by offering to pamper him up with more proper cologne only to meet his end by Sweeney's razor. His body went through the chute and into the bake house, terrifying Toby beyond rationality.

The scene changed to Antony and Johanna sneaking into Sweeney's shop with Johanna disguised a boy. Antony left to summon a coach while Johanna waited for him. Not too long after he left, the beggar woman came to the door calling for the Beadle. Johanna hid herself in the trunk next to the door before the beggar walked in and began wandering the shop while mindlessly chanting, "Beadle deedle deedle deedle dumpling! Beadle dumpling!"

Suddenly, Sweeney Todd walked in!

When he asks who she is, the woman blabbers something about "the devil's wife" until she clearly asks,

"Don't I know you sir?"

"MR. TODD!" shouted Judge Turpin.

Sweeney panicked and slit the old woman's throat! Serus felt a displaced sense of dread and loss as Sweeney sent her through the chute to join Beadle's body just before Judge Turpin walked through the door. After telling him that Johanna was safe and unharmed, he lures him into his barber's chair for a shave. After a little song, Sweeney hints the Judge as to who he really is(or in Serus's mind, who he WAS). The Judge realizes too late as Sweeney Todd shouted his true name.

"BENJAMIN BARKER!"

SLASH! Judge Turpin's throat was cut wide open! Then down the chute he went. As Sweeney set down his blood-soaked razor, Johanna accidently made a noise, alerting Sweeney of her presence. Due to her disguise, he had no clue of her true identity. Before Sweeney could do anything, he heard Mrs. Lovett scream. He looks to Johanna and says, "Forget my face!"

The scene switched to the bake house where Mrs. Lovett was shaking off the near-dead Judge Tupin, who clutching to her dress. Mrs. Lovett turned to the beggar woman's body and a look of familiarity etched on to her face.

"The ghosts of the past have come back to haunt me!"

She then went to drag the woman's body to the oven. Sweeney walks in and demands Mrs. Lovett open the oven while he drags the body of the woman. Mrs. Lovett begs him not to. Sweeney ignores her begins to lift the woman when her veil drops off revealing her true identity. Serus was way ahead him.

It was Lucy. Sweeney's presumably dead wife.

Sweeney then lost it! Mrs. Lovett begged him to understand that she didn't tell him because she only thought of what was best for him. Lucy had gone mad after attempting to poison herself with arsenic and thought it was better that he think she was dead. Sweeney stopped weeping over her body and began to sing in a seemingly joyful voice. Serus wasn't fooled. Sweeney sweeped Mrs. Lovett into a waltz and began dancing and singing,

"What's dead is dead, so let's keep living it. Really living it. REALLY LIVING IT!"

Sweeney then tossed Mrs. Lovett into the open stove and closed the door, allowing her to burn alive. Sweeney then kneeled down to Lucy and held her close. It was then a bedraggled and traumatized Toby appeared singing "Patty-cake." Toby kneeled next to the grieving barber as he held his deceased wife. Toby then got hold of the razor. He still continued to sing,

"Roll it. Toss it. Mark it with a B." He readies the razor. "And put in the oven for baby and ME!"

SLICE! Toby slit Sweeney Todd's throat with his own razor!

Serus felt bittersweet emotions as the barber fell dead next to his wife. The irony of it. His vengeful quest was meant to fail from the beginning. The death of his wife turned out to be by own hand. Such irony!

The entire cast rose to sing the closing song. Afterwards, the cast bowed and the curtain fell.

Serus was sad that it over. But she complied with her parents as they made their way out of the theater and back home.

(SPOILERS OVER! CONTINUE READING AT YOUR OWN WILL)


After she was bathed and dressed in her nightgown, Serus sat on her bed with her new kitten. She purred in contentment as Serus stroked her ebony fur. Marjorie then walked in to read Serus the rest of To Kill A Mockingbird. Marjorie saw Serus pampering her new pet and smiled.

"You two are going to best of friends. What have you named her?"

Serus looked to her and quietly replied, "...Mrs. Lovett."

"What a lovely name, Miss Serus. Oh! Look what came for you in the mail." Marjorie handed Serus a yellow-ish envelope.

Serus saw the red wax seal and broke it. It read:

"Dear Ms. Serus Acklamage,
We are pleased to inform you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Serus's eyes boggled. Marjorie looked to her with excitement in her eyes.

"This is such good news! Your parents will be so proud! Oh my! The term will start very soon. Would you like to go Diagon Alley this weekend to gather your supplies?"

Serus was very unsure. But an opportunity to get out this mansion was a blessing in her mind. Serus nodded and curled up into her blankets as Marjorie began to read the trial of Tom Robinson through the eyes of Scout Finch.


Review plz! Your thoughts mean very much to me! If I made any spelling mistakes or missed any words, PLEEEEAAASE TELL ME SO I CAN FIX IT!

Also, I love the 1982 Broadway production of Sweeney Todd ALOT more than the movie now!