The Wonderful and Surprising History of Sweeney Todd: The Life and Times of an Urban Legend

The Wonderful and Surprising History of Sweeney Todd: The Life and Times of an Urban Legend by Mack, Robert L. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780826497918.

<div>The tales surrounding Sweeney Todds notorious barber shop in Londons Fleet Street have entertained generations of audiences and have made Todd himself one of the most famous - or perhaps notorious - characters in the citys history.<em> The Wonderful and Surprising History of Sweeney Todd</em> traces the fortunes of Todds narrative from its earliest proper appearance as a Victorian penny blood in 1846-47, and then as a popular melodrama on the stage, through to its twentieth-century manifestation in film, ballet, musicals, and opera up to current and future productions, including the forthcoming Tim Burton/Johnny Depp film version of Stephen Sondheims 1979 Broadway masterpiece. <br/><br/>Each successive generation has found a compelling fascination in Sweeney Todds themes of avarice, ambition, desire, appetite, retribution, justice, and cannibalism. Following in the footsteps of the myth, this fascinating book takes the reader on a journey from the roots of the story in the alleyways and pie-shops of Victorian London to its modern incarnations on stage, screen and in popular culture.</div>>