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今天在醫院的工作不多,突然我接到一通外線電話,我心想,不是醫院裡的罪犯病人的律師吧?戰戰兢兢地接起電話,原來是好友Alyson從另一間醫院打來。她的未婚夫得腸胃炎,今晚無法一起看音樂劇。我本來想好好準備我的碩士報告,但是心裡還是養養的,結果還是去看了 我們匆匆地吃個晚餐,就坐計程車去Theatre Royal,在七點半準時到達,好像灰姑娘一樣。

這是一個英國版的人肉叉燒包,真實故事。曲風服裝皆屬黑暗,十分符合主角殺人犯Sweeney Todd的風格。我和Alyson下班後都累了,加上我前晚還熬夜讀書,一開始還是頭昏腦脹地看,歌曲不是令人朗朗上口的,所以我還需要一杯咖啡提神。第一幕是介紹Todd可悲的背景,淪落成殺人犯的原因。第二幕精采許多,步調十分快,意外、背叛、愛情、無怨的等待交錯,不知道是不是咖啡加效的關係。結局十分悲慘,該愛的人、該恨的人,幾乎死的死、瘋的瘋,令人省思。

以前涉獵過一些舞台設計,這是我所看過最棒的設計了。一整場下來,背景都沒換過,演員們除了唱歌,還要稍微搬動道具,但是這是最成功的一部份。最令人驚艷的道具竟然是棺材!還可以當作餐桌、理髮台、法官桌、大門。每個演員除了歌唱,還要兼具彈奏至少一樣樂器,這是英國版本和美國百老匯版本最不同的地方。我想有好有壞,在唱自己的歌時一邊演奏,十分有感覺;缺點是演員走動時還要拖著一個笨重的提琴,Antony的提琴有兩次陷在舞台地板的縫隙中。本劇最大的敗筆是在燈光和服裝,往生者都穿著染血的白袍,在我這個醫師的眼中十分不討好,穿白色的衣服到處走動換道具,即使燈光不在這些人的身上,觀眾還是看得到。燈光也沒有按時打好,也不夠亮,我不知道是不是因為巡迴演出而被限制在劇院的燈光不好的關係。



總之,我給6.5/10吧,還算值得看。


Time: 19th century
Place: Fleet Street and environs, London

PROLOGUE
ACT I

Sweeney Todd and Anthony Hope, a young sailor, arrive in London (No Place Like London). A beggar woman seems to recognize Todd, who sends her away. Todd tells of a man of the law who, years ago, sent a young barber away in order to seduce the barber's wife. So much time has passed that Todd doubts that anyone will know how the tale ended.

Todd enters Mrs Lovett's pie shop. She is delighted to have a customer, although hers are The Worst Pies in London. She hasn't rented the room above her shop because everyone believes it's haunted: a barber and his wife lived there until a judge falsely convicted the man, leaving the woman and their daughter alone (Poor Thing). Judge Turpin's beadle invited the woman to visit the judge at his home, where she fell victim to his lust.

Mrs Lovett realizes that Todd is the barber, Benjamin Barker. She tells him his wife poisoned herself and the judge took the daughter, Johanna, as his ward. Todd swears revenge for his 15-year imprisonment and his wife's death. Lovett brings Todd his razors, which she kept in case he ever returned (My Friends).

At her window, Johanna laments her kept existence (Green Finch and Linnet Bird). Her beauty transfixes Anthony (Ah, Miss). Judge Turpin chastises the sailor, who vows to steal the girl away (Johanna).

At St Dunstan's Marketplace, Tobias drums up business for Pirelli, 'Haircutter-Barber-Toothpuller to His Royal Majesty the King of Naples,' and his 'Miracle Elixir'. Todd intends to attract customers to his newly opened shop by exposing the Italian as a fraud. Pirelli then loses to Todd in a shaving and tooth-pulling contest.

At home, Judge Turpin gazes at Johanna through a keyhole and wrestles with his lust (Johanna). He confronts the girl and horrifies her by proposing marriage.

In the barbershop, Mrs Lovett tells Todd to be patient (Wait). Anthony arrives with a key to the judge's house that has been passed through Johanna's shuttered window. The sailor reveals his plan to rescue Johanna, unaware that she is Todd's daughter. Mrs Lovett suggests that Johanna hide in the shop while Anthony makes the necessary arrangements.

After Pirelli and Tobias arrive, Mrs Lovett takes the boy downstairs for some pie. Pirelli reveals that he knows Todd's real name and will tell Beadle Bamford unless he shares half of Todd's profits forever. Todd begins to strangle Pirelli when Tobias appears. Quickly hiding the unconscious blackmailer, Todd tells Tobias that Pirelli was called away. Once Tobias has gone, Todd slashes Pirelli's throat.

In Johanna's room, Anthony explains his plan (Kiss Me). Meanwhile, the beadle suggests to Judge Turpin that Johanna might respond better to his proposal if he improved his appearance (Ladies in Their Sensitivities).

In the barbershop, Mrs Lovett takes Pirelli's money and purse. Preparing to shave Judge Turpin, Todd remembers his lost wife while the judge thinks of Johanna (Pretty Women). When Anthony bursts in to announce that Johanna has agreed to run away with him, the judge storms out. Having missed the chance to kill him, Todd explodes (Epiphany), vowing that henceforth he will kill anyone who comes in for a shave, while awaiting the judge's return. Wondering how to dispose of Pirelli leads Mrs Lovett to a solution benefiting Todd and herself: she can bake his victims into her pies (A Little Priest).


ACT II
Tobias now drums up business for Mrs Lovett as customers demand more pies (God, That's Good!). Meanwhile, Todd's new barber chair is delivered; his victims will be tilted down a chute to the bakehouse below.

Anthony searches for Johanna, while Todd thinks of his daughter as he systematically kills all who sit in the chair (Johanna). The beggar woman attempts to alert passers-by to the strange odors and suspicious smoke.

In Mrs Lovett's parlour, she croons to Todd about retiring together (By the Sea). Hearing from Anthony that Johanna is being kept at Fogg's Asylum, Todd urges the young man to free her by posing as a wigmaker searching for hair of her colour. He can bring her to the barbershop after their escape. In a letter, Todd informs the judge that Anthony has abducted Johanna, and that she will be at the shop that evening (The Letter).

The grateful Tobias tells Mrs Lovett he would protect her from any evil (Not While I'm Around). She offers him a sweet from her purse, which he recognizes as Pirelli's. Now desperate, Mrs Lovett declares that it's time Tobias learned to help her make pies. In the bakehouse, the meat-grinder so fascinates him that he doesn't notice being locked in.

The beadle arrives to investigate complaints about the foul smoke. Mrs Lovett stalls by singing with him (Parlour Songs). When Todd returns, the beadle accepts a free shave. Terrified to see the beadle's body trundling out of the chute, Tobias finds the door locked and disappears down the cellar steps.

At the asylum, Fogg escorts the 'wigmaker' around. Anthony spots Johanna, who shoots Fogg. The lovers flee, followed by the inmates (City on Fire). Meanwhile, Mrs Lovett and Todd look for Tobias, and the beggar woman calls after the missing beadle (Searching).

Anthony brings Johanna to Todd's shop, then leaves to fetch a coach. Frightened by the beggar woman's approach, Johanna hides. The beggar woman appears, and the room brings back lost memories for her. When Todd enters, she again seems to recognize him. When he hears the judge approaching, he slits her throat.

Todd tells the judge that Johanna longs for forgiveness. He convinces Turpin to prepare for their reunion with a shave. Too late, the judge realizes the barber's identity; Todd slashes Turpin's throat.

Remembering Tobias, Todd rushes out. Upon returning to fetch his razor, he discovers Johanna. Thinking she might expose him, he moves to kill her, but is distracted by Mrs Lovett's screams from below; the judge, still alive, is clutching at her. As he dies, Mrs Lovett notices the beggar woman's body and tries to drag it to the oven. As Todd enters, he recognizes the face - she is his wife, Lucy. He is enraged that Mrs Lovett lied, but she insists that she never told him Lucy had actually died. Initially feigning forgiveness, Todd shoves Mrs Lovett into the oven.

Tobias emerges from the cellar and, taking Todd's razor, slits the barber's throat. Anthony, Johanna, and others arrive. Now completely mad, Tobias begins turning the grinder's handle.

EPILOGUE
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    Ariella

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