#and of course then sweeney and lovett are there

[demonbarberofbeepbeep]

the birdseller. fogg. mrs. mooney. pirelli. do you think the sinister small business owners of the Sweeney Todd london-verse hang out and all have stands at the farmer's market every saturday

[motley-cunt]

I swear to god either I misread the Sweeney Todd (2009) or this was just a movie about two wronged nurodivergents in ye old England who just HAPPEN to have a special interest in murder.

[lycheeleeches]

Sigh…was holding one version of the Sweeney Todd Au tripped and out came two versions.

( excuse how messy it is) the outfits are subject to change especially for the 2nd version (thinking about tying Hyde’s hair up for that one)

Of course I love both versions of the au cause they offer different things but this is more so I can see what people prefer.

The version that’s least popular will still get drawn, but I just won’t have a heavy focus on it

( if you have any question about either version I’ll be happy to answer :D)

[babyfoxflower]

Halloween with Alastor HCs

Happy Halloween, my dears!! In honor of my favorite holiday, here’s some headcanons about spending Halloween with Alastor!

Warnings: Brief mention of cannibalism

* Now depending how much of a scaredy-cat you are, you will either have the best time with Alastor on Halloween or the worst.

* Alastor is a trickster and loves playing pranks especially on Halloween. He will make an effort to jump scare you whenever he can. The sounds of your screams are music to his ears.

* “Ah, you always have such a lovely voice, my dear. And your screams are no exception,” he would tease while he’d put a hand on his chest in a dramatic fashion, cackling loudly.

* Yes, Halloween is when Al’s sadistic side comes to shine.

* However since you are his girlfriend, he won’t go too far. And of course, if you beg pretty enough, he will stop.

* Besides he can scare you in other ways, like by telling you ghost stories and scary urban legends.

* He’s been around for quite awhile, and has garnered many spooky tales over the years.

* “Do you believe in vampires, Darling?”

* “No, but I didn’t use to believe in demons either. So, I guess I’m open to it.”

* “That’s the spirit! You know, there’s an urban legend from my childhood about a man by the name of Jacques St. Germain, who moved to New Orleans in 1902. Apparently he was ageless and charming. Legend goes that blood stained clothes from different centuries and bottles of human blood were found in his home.”

* “That’s a creepy story. Haha. Of course, urban legends are just that, legends.”

* “Well, they have to come from somewhere now, don’t they?”

* “I have to change into my costume, are you still going to wear yours?”

* “My dear, you’re shaking. Are you scared?”

* “Maybe a little.”

* “Aw, come here.” He would take you into his arms, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you, my love. The only person who’s allowed to drink your blood is me.”

* “Alastor!” You would playfully smack his shoulder.

* If you’re into horror movies, then he’ll gladly have a scary movie marathon with you.

* Of course, he does not get scared and treats them more as comedies.

* Especially, slasher flicks. There just something so hilarious about a disemboweled teenager.

* “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! What is this picture show called again?”

* “Scream. I have to admit that it was pretty funny when she got stuck in the cat door. Hahaha!”

* “And then her head got squashed! Hahahaha! I haven’t been this entertained since the stock market crash of 1929!”

* He’ll also dress up with you, though for some reason his default costume is Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer.

* “Why do you always go as Rudolf?”

* “Why do you always go as a witch?”

* “Touché.”

* However, if you come up with some creepy couple’s costume ideas, he’s more than willing to give it a shot.

* One year, you went as Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd.

* The best part was your pies were made out of real human flesh and the two of you got to enjoy them at the end of the night.

[finleyforevermore]

🌟CASTING MY MUTUALS IN: SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET!🌟

Side note: I cast based on if the character reminds me of the moot, or if I can see the moot playing the character! If you get cast as a bad guy, of course I don't think of you that way! The reason I casted you is the second reason, I can just see you in that role! Cool? Cool! Now grab your razors, and let's get to cutting!

For those who paid attention to my blog, you all saw this first one coming 😅:

Finley as Sweeney Todd and Zeep (@ziipzeepzop-eez) as Mrs. Lovett

Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for...me!: Sweeney is an actual dream role of mine! Not to mention it'd be a blast to get to play a not nice guy for 2 hours >:)

Reasons for Zeep: I wholeheartedly believe Zee has the comedic chops to play Lovett, and would absolutely sell the serious moments as well. In Zee we trust 😌

Mari (@heylittlestellbird) as Johanna

Maria Bilbao as Johanna in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Stella: Johanna is associated with birds. Who's got "bird" in their username? Mari! I rest my case! XD /silly

Atlas (@literatureisdying) as Anthony Hope

Jordan Fisher as Anthony in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Atlas: Anthony's number one character trait is yearning for Johanna. Atlas' number one trait is yearning for Auden. Simple! /silly

Mikey (@mushroom-hoodie) as The Beggar Woman

Ruthie Ann Miles as The Beggar Woman in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Mikey: Admittedly at first I had casted you as the Beggar Woman, because one, I just couldn't turn down your offer to be included, and two, I was struggling to think of skmeone else to cast you as but the more I thought about it the more I genuinely liked it! I think you'd do a really good job in this role! ^^

Frog (@ofthefrogs) as Tobias "Toby" Ragg

Joe Locke as Toby in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Froggy: I mean....just look at you and then look at Toby and tell me you don't look alike.

But also! Toby is a sweetheart! Froggy is also a sweetheart! I rest my case.

Ender (@ender-outlaw) as Adolfo Pirelli

Nicholas Christopher as Pirelli in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Ender: While you and Pirelli really couldn't be any more different, you're already a very charming person (Pirelli is in fact not that XD) and I think you'd have a great time playing him! Also, this is Tumblr! Who gives a hoot about gender? We can have a female Pirelli if we want!! >:D

Greaseball (@gb-diesellok) as Judge Turpin

Jamie Jackson as Turpin in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Greaseball: Just like Ender and Pirelli, you and Turpin really couldn't be any more different XD but your voice definitely fits comfortably into all of Turpin's vocal parts! ^^

Rook (@rook-specter) as Beadle Bamford

John Rapson as Bamford in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Crepuscule: Just like Ender and Pirelli AND Geebs and Turpin, you and Bamford aren't very much alike either! Who woulda guessed? XD

But I think your portrayal would be absolutely delightful and very funny (very much like his portrayal in the 2023 Broadway revival funnily enough)

And last, but most certainly not least..

What's a musical without it's Ensemble? :D

From left to right, we have:

@sandsmand, Troy (@the-fag-with-the-swag), Ash (@ripash), Wolf (@electricfied-wolf), Razzle (@whistlingstarlight), Ash (@idk-what-to-make-user), Charlie (@gently-decaying-flowers), Cal (@treasure-goblin), Amor (@nuncscioquidsitamor-14), Gabi (@splendidred05), Finn (@lordcatwich), & Eli (@theelispace)!

[little-lovett]

i adore sweenett not in the way that i think they actually love eachother and are a healthy couple at all. i just love them bc they are so silly and evil and trust eachother so deeply and rely on eachother and they were truly all the other one had. sweeney and mrs lovett are two very lonely people who found friendship and connection in eachother. their relationship is so full of longing and hurt and the attraction between them is there and it’s strong but the pain they are both experiencing is stronger. they were so close. they were almost almost almost there. sweenett is infuriating and beautiful and that’s why i love it. i don’t believe they loved eachother. i think they were a little in love with eachother, but only on the surface level. you cant deny sweeney loved her just a little bit. he’s got this woman at his feet, beautiful and enticing and loving, albeit extremely strange, annoying, and morally bankrupt. being without affection or a woman’s comfort for 15 years, of course sweeney found her feelings for him both frightening and tempting. mrs. lovett, on the other hand, is completely infatuated with him, refusing to acknowledge his flaws. she’s a widow and a hopeless romantic. sweeney was all she had. she was all he had. they did good business and had so much fun while it lasted before all the secrets poured out and they killed eachother. it was silly and scary and sad. i love sweenett — not exactly as a couple, but as a pair. a couple that almost happened and most definitely never should have happened. nellie lovett and sweeney todd: twin flames from hell

[animeyanderelover]

This song was randomly recommended to me on YouTube and brought back some fond memories as I watched Sweeney Todd over a decade ago. Now that I have a Yandere blog though I can’t help but image that this song in particular could be such a fun little dynamic between an obsessed character and their shell-shocked darling. This scene is basically already about Todd having to deal with the fact that he found out after 15 years in exile that his wife was raped and killed herself whilst his daughter was adopted by the same judge who framed him wrongfully and who is the rapist of his now dead spouse. Meanwhile Mrs. Lovett is imagining her future with him whilst he is too busily grieving/planning his revenge.

Now imagine this concept but it is you who just received terrible news about the death of your loved ones, about your exile or some other horrible news which cause you to be so emotionally shocked that you’re just numb. All whilst your Yandere is daydreaming about the future you two could have now together.

Alternatively we can also imagine that you were isekaid and just found out that there’s no way home for you. You’re literally stuck in a world you only thought was fictional. Sure, it might have been fun at first but now that you figured out that you can never return you realize how screwed you are. After all you’re in a world stuck with insane abilities and powers, depending on the world no modern technology and your own obsessed freak who will never leave you alone now that they now that you can’t return.

Sure, you may have experienced a great tragedy. The people you love might be dead or you’re unable to ever see them again but you should look at it from the positive side as well!! Not everything is as grim as you imagine it to be.

I’m literally posting this during a break between my courses in university so I only had little time to think about who this would fit and I only chose female characters but feel free to write your own suggestions in the comments.

Black Butler: Grell Sutcliff

My Hero Academia: Toga Himiko

Fairy Tail: Seilah

One Piece: Perona

[likeabxrdinflight]

I'm absolutely deranged over this sweeney revival and so sad it's closing because I think this might be the only iteration of the show where it's like. very obvious that this version of sweeney and mrs lovett are fucking. like that's pretty clear, right? in most renditions it's played like a largely unrequited thing, with mrs lovett attempting over the course of the show to get sweeney to love her despite the fact that he's utterly uninterested.

that was...that was not the case in this version. and the place where I think that becomes most apparent is actually in "a little priest," because I think this is where the transition takes place. prior to this the 2023 show is playing out broadly the same as usual, with mrs lovett focused primarily on getting sweeney to look at her for more than five seconds while sweeney is plotting his revenge. I'm not sure how annaleigh played it live, since I didn't get to see her take and haven't found any decent (publicly available) clips of her, but sutton made some interesting choices here where she's always got her hands hovering over sweeney but rarely does she actually touch him (this was most apparent to me during "my friends" and "wait"). it was like he was something she desperately wanted to hold but couldn't bring herself to yet. like he (or the tenuous bond between them) was made of glass and she was afraid to break him (and it).

that changes after "a little priest." because for the whole show up to that point, sweeney is, as in every production, completely uninterested in her. he seems to reject her advances, doesn't initiate much if any contact with her, and at most treats her as a business partner. but the second mrs lovett suggests her whole baking-people-into-pies scheme, that seems to change. suddenly he's holding her arms, pulling her into a dance, he grabs her face at one point- it was like this little flash of genuinely visible evil from her (which she normally tries to cover more than he does) suddenly attracts him in a way nothing she'd tried up 'til then had. and sutton as mrs lovett responds to this, and that seemed to be the motive behind her iteration of the character playing up the cannibalism humor and making all these jokes about who they could bake into pies. it's like she's suddenly gotten a dash of the affection from him she's been craving and now she's going to do everything possible to keep him laughing, to keep him focused on her and not the judge.

from that point on in this version of the show, I think they're sleeping together. do I think sweeney ever truly falls in love with her? no of course not, that's entirely against the point of his character. but I do think this version of sweeney has more affection for her than other iterations have. more than any other production I've personally seen, this one presented them as a couple, a real partnership, to the point that "by the sea" reads less as another attempt at seduction and more as a legitimate proposal made from one established sexual partner to the other. (the acting choices here also make it.......................almost impossible that they're not fucking I mean she...there's this whole thing with her feet and his suspenders and it's so funny but there's no way. there's no way they weren't sleeping together, just trust me.) and all throughout that song he reacts with the usual sort of annoyance that you'd expect for the character, but there were a few times I'm sure he smiled a little, I was close enough to see it- and whether that was aaron breaking character a bit or a legitimate acting choice I have no idea- but either way it made him seem a little bit fond of her, even when he was irritated.

some people might not like this, since it does sort of go against what was the original intention in the script, but I think it adds another layer of tragedy to the ending if they were genuinely together. because they were so close. they were so close to having some kind of life together, some kind of happiness that wouldn't ever replace the life sweeney had lost, that wouldn't ever replace lucy or johanna, but it could have been a life. maybe even a nice one (minus the whole murdering-and-baking-people-into-pies thing). but it can't ever be because it was only ever happening under false pretenses. because mrs lovett lied. she almost had everything she wanted, she almost had him, but she could only get it because of that one lie, and she loses it all because of that lie too. and that's ultimately her tragedy.

[justasillylad]

mannn sweeney todd is so sad

its at its core a love story; everybody’s story revolves around love.

benjamin barker was in love with the IDEA of his lucy. and maybe it had something to do with him being gone for 15 years. but when the people he loved; his lucy and johanna weren’t who he remembered them to be, would he even remember them? how did he act when his lucy wasn’t young, soft, and most of all beautiful? when johanna was disguised in sailors clothes he didn’t recognize her. (that’s not a shortcoming on his side though: he hasn’t seen her since she was 1)

in his search for love and finding his life before, he let his anger consume him and destroyed what he thought he wanted.

and ms lovett, well, she was in love with a man she knew she could never have. of course sweeney wouldn’t just forget about his wife. but she didn’t think of it that way; she was BETTER than his wife. why couldn’t he see that? and it manifests in her continuous dehumanization of lucy. in “poor thing” she seems very sympathetic to her, saying poor thing in a way where she sees lucy as something to be pitied. then throughout the musical we see her chasing her out, calling her dirty (paraphrased: i’ll not have people like you hanging around my fine establishment!) and the pièce de résistance being in the final sequence. and it’s revealed she knew who she was all along. “could that thing have cared for you like me?” that’s all that lucy is to her; a thing. she’s not a tragic tale of a woman who had her husband taken away from her, tricked into trusting a man who would later rape her and take away her child, driven to suicide that failed and left her insane, no, she’s just a thing trying to take away what is hers. in this case, todd.

with judge turpin, i think it’s kind of obvious. although it could be argued that it is more lust rather than love which i wouldn’t say i disagree with.

with johanna, it could be argued she didn’t truly love anthony but i would say i disagree. maybe that’s naivety or misplaced optimism. her love of anthony and his love back led them everywhere. it saved johanna from her room where she was trapped. anthony risked his life multiple times for her and she did back. she got locked in a mental asylum because she didn’t love judge turpin (who most likely saw her as a stand in for lucy) but anthony loved her more than he was afraid of anything. it’s unclear how much time passed but johanna says last august (“will we be married on sunday? thats what you promised— married on sunday. that was last august. kiss me!”) which implies a very sizeable amount of time passed. and yet, when anthony finds her he tells todd he finally found her. all this time he had been looking for johanna, his love. johanna killed for anthony. well yes, she did kill fogg in order to escape the asylum but she also did it to be reunited with anthony. and after all the time, when she was locked away, after a brief bit of turmoil they go back to talking like they did, as if no time had passed at all.

sweeney todd is a musical about murder and cannibalism and all that jazz, yes, but it’s most importantly a story about love and how we can do both terrible and great things for love.

[opaltrz]

Dating Headcanons | Mrs. Lovett

♥︎ mrs. lovett

【 what being in a relationship with mrs. lovett would be like... 】

One day you stumble upon Mrs. Lovett's Pie Shop after hearing all the excitement on the streets of her salivating meat pies. You didn't really care for the savory kind of pies, so when your friends drag you there, you would instead order some tea or beer.

Nellie is immediately drawn to you the moment you walk into her shop, admiring you from afar as you're talking and laughing with your friends, unbeknownst to you. If you do prefer savory over sweet pies, I think she'd try and avoid giving them to you, making excuses that this batch isn't as good or that a couple of her hairs got mixed in to put you off them, even though her other customers completely devour them at the tables surrounding yours.

You'd quickly become a regular there, enjoying the quiet calmness of her shop when there's scarcely any customers yet, coming either in the early morning or the late evening. You'd order a drink or a little something to eat and then stay for an hour or two, appreciating slowly waking up or winding down for the night in the quaint place.

Nellie always checks in with you every once in a while to refill your cup, politely conversing with you for a few minutes. Over time, the two of you get closer, to the point where Nellie lets you stay after shop hours so that you two could continue talking and getting to know each other. You'd help her clean and tidy up around the shop so that she could be finished earlier, then she'd fix you both up fresh cups of tea and you talk into the night.

`

What really draws Nellie to you is how you listen and give her your attention. You make it clear that you're interested in what she's talking about and that you want to continue talking, even listening intently when she starts to ramble. Nellie is often dismissed by those in her life, so to see you really care to hear what she's saying, she quickly grows feelings for you.

`

Now Nellie is manipulative and possessive, so she will do anything to make sure that you're her's and her's only.

If she sees someone making romantic advances on you she might ask Sweeney to invite them up for a haircut or shave.... Your admirers just have a tendency to disappear. It's a little strange that the smoke from Mrs. Lovett's Pie Shop gets especially bad whenever someone asks you on a date or flirts with you, but you don't question it. She'd also find different ways to insert herself into your life so that she can get closer to you.

`

She's not quite subtle about how she's fallen for you either. Nellie will cast longing looks from across the room, sigh wistfully to herself thinking about you, and even make several suggestive comments to drop hints.

Confessions of Love

If she confesses first... - She'd first gift you something like a vase of your favorite flowers, a knitted pair of gloves, or a new necklace. Her eyes go so soft, watching your delight at her gifts then she'd reveal her feelings. Warmth spreads through her chest once you admit you feel the same.

"Always had a fondness for you, I did."

If you confess first... - You'd sit her down one night after shop hours, candlelight flickering on your features as you reach over and take her hands in yours, letting her know how glad you are to have met her, and then you confess. You rub a finger over her knuckles and stare into each other's eyes, in slight elated disbelief that you're both smitten with each other.

You both of course know the risks of being in a relationship with another woman at this time, but you're both so taken by each other that you'll do anything to be together. You have to be secretive. Being unable to be open about your feelings in public frustrates and exhausts both of you, but you work through it together. Most are none the wiser, dismissing it and writing you off as very close friends.

`

A relationship with Nellie is really sweet. She loves taking care of you, it's one of the most common ways she shows her love for you, making sure that you've eaten or drank enough water.

She's obsessed with you, it's honestly really flattering just how into you she is, flirting and doting on you all the time, but it really can be too much at times. Nellie's so open and honest with her feelings, so you really don't need to have any doubts, but I can see her obsession with you causing the most problems in your relationship.

Nicknames

Dearie/Dearest, love, darling

Dates

Going on dates with Nellie are very romantic and relaxed.

All she really needs is you and she's content.

A sweet candlelit dinner or quiet nights just being in each other's company with her knitting as you write letters.

Love languages

Giving Gifts - Nellie will gladly spoil you rotten (she has the money for it with her respectful business), but I think she prefers handmade gifts like knitting clothes for you in the colder seasons, or preparing you your favorite food/meal. She pours love into everything she makes for you, and it's through making things that she can really express her feelings.

Physical Touch - Nellie's very clingy, so prepare for that. She wants to be around you almost constantly—resting her head on your shoulder as you do something, hooking an arm around your waist, kissing the crown of your head, nestling her face into the crook of your neck smelling your hair, sitting on your lap and hugging you. She loves cuddling and being wrapped up in your arms the most, it makes her feel so safe and loved. She also gets weak in the knees when you gently press a hand against her throat or on the small of her back while you kiss her.

Words of Affirmation - She'd definitely want the reassurance that you love and care for her. Nellie's so sure of her feelings for you, she wants to make sure that you care for her as much as she does for you. She'll also praise and compliment you often. If you ask, she'll happily remind of her feelings.

Nellie loves teasing you, just to get a reaction out of you and see how far she can push you. But tease her back, compliment, praise her, or make a suggestive comment that she wasn't expecting and she'll be blushing.

`

Nellie is definitely very protective over you. If someone gives you a look she's not too fond of or a gross comment, she'll tell them off.

"Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around."

She craves and feeds off of your attention so when she sees someone else getting that, she can become quite jealous, even if it is just a friend you're catching up with. She'll let you be, but after she'll latch onto you and ask you to give her attention.

`

One of Nellie's best qualities is how thoughtful and attentive she is. Nellie remembers all kinds of small details, takes note of your interests, and will always be thinking of you as you go about your day. This can show up in several ways. If you mention your favorite fruit offhandedly, she'll surprise you with a basket full of pastries, treats, and a pie using the fruit you said you liked. If you go window shopping together in the town and your eyes linger on a jewelry box or beautiful ornate quills and stationery, there's a parcel on your porch a couple days later of those exact items. If you live together, Nellie will stop you before you leave and put some items in your bag that you've forgotten, fixing your clothes and pressing a small kiss to your forehead, wishing you a good day. Her way of loving you is knowing you and showing she's thinking of you.

♥︎♥︎♥︎ Nellie is such a sweet and devoted lover. She would give you the moon on a string if she could. Give her your attention, show interest in her, and she's yours. Her affection for you can get a bit overwhelming at times, but make your boundaries clear, she'll be so attentive and respectful, and will do her best to follow them. She is so willing to do anything when it comes to you, and you can do the same for her.

@opaltrz

a/n — i need her. this is also based more on the broadway musical version of her.

[bunnyluvs-blog]

Underwater

Leeknow x reader (yandere)

Minho has beed your best friend for years. Always refusing to leave your side. What happens when he forced you to stay by his?

Tags-- Yandare!leeknow, collage!au, mentions skz members, jealous leeknow, angst ? fluff ? no smut, Jeongin is mentioned a lot, mention of Leeknows cats, Sweeney Todd spoilers, words in red are lyrics

Theme - Underwater by Red velvet on Chill Kill

“Yeah, all I need for you’s to stay. And forever you will stay.”

Minho was someone who always seemed a little too close for comfort. It started with insisting on having life360 on each other's phone for “protection”. Then when he was with you, you guys always had to cuddle. Otherwise, he would pout and throw a fit. Granted you and Minho have always been friends. Before middle school, you and Minho would never leave each other's side. Of course, Minho got his friends, and you had yours. But Minho had to meet your friends, even though you never met his. Now that you both attended the same college. That Minho said you two had to go to. You and him ended up in the same friend group. 7 lovely guys all with their personality traits and attributes. 4 of them lived together, Chris, Changbin, Jisung, and Hyunjin. The other 3 also lived together, Felix, Seungmin, and Jeongin. When you went into college, Minho said you and him had to live together. He claimed that he could never deal with a roommate and that you were his best friend so it was different.

Today was just like any other normal Sunday. All of you guys were hanging out at “3rachas + hyunjins” dorm. Watching whatever silly romance drama Felix and Jisung were hooked on this time. Minho texted the group chat saying he had to pick up more cat food.

“So wait, you telling me Minho doesn't cling to you guys?” you asked Chris you were confused when you were telling him he could sit next to you because Minho likes to cuddle you while hanging out.

“Minho? The guy who hisses when one of us even gets too close? I think he would kill us” Changbin laughs.

“I think he might have something for you” Jeongin chimes in. Which makes you blush. You always had a thing for your cat like best friend. Of course, you never brought it up! You thought you would ruin the only best friend you've ever had if you even hinted at liking him.

Outside of the door, Minho was watching. What was so flirty that you blushed at Jeongin? Does he know? Can't he see that you're Minhos? Maybe you’ve forgotten how much he has done for you. Maybe he will just have to remind you.

“Aren't you curious about what kind of me I am, far underwater?”

It took a while for Minho to find a place to keep you. He could just lock in the apartment, but then that would be the first place people looked. He didn’t want to keep you forever, just long enough so you knew who owned you. he did

Minho wasn't around as much. And it didn't go unnoticed by you. You and him did everything together, why is he suddenly so busy? You tried to bring it up many times, claiming you missed him. To which he would baby you for the night, and then the cycle would repeat. A whole month and a half of this happened. Just like before you brought it up to him.

“Minho where are you?” you spoke to him over the phone

“Y/n-a, I told you I picked up more hours at work. You know how food prices are going up,” he explained to you. Could that just be it? Were you reading too much into it?

“I just..” you took a deep breath. “I miss you, like a lot” you repeated to him for what seemed like the millionth time.

“How about tonight once I finish up, we watch Sweeney Todd?” He offered. It was your and his favorite movie to watch. Often joking about how he was Todd and you were Ms. Lovett. It made you sometimes hope that he liked you just a bit. Even though Ms. Lovett dies at the end.

“Yeah.. yeah that would be nice, but!” you explained. “I want snacks so pick some up!”

He chuckled on the other end.

“Yaaa I’ll pick up snacks for us. I’ll be home soon so take a shower and get comfy.”

You both said bye and you went to take your shower. Minho did intend to watch the movie with you, he just has an extra idea with him.

It didn't take Minho long to get home. He was a lot quicker than you thought, almost like he never really left. Of course, he brought the snacks as he promised. Both of you cuddled up under a blanket and watched the movie. The movie turned into full volume since it always played so quietly. You being you, you ended up falling asleep. Which was just what Minho wanted. Maybe you would call him crazy, or reject him. This was the only way. All he could do was pray you understood why.

“All the feelings I awakened are true, I can't wait, babe, what’s it gonna be?”

You woke up in a dark room, chained, trapped. You wiggled your arms around trying to break free. Which only seem to alert the thing that brought you here. Fuck, you just wanted to be home. Home with Minho. How did this even happen? Was your night with Minho only a dream? Your thoughts were interrupted by a voice, but you’ve heard that voice before?

“I'm sorry I had to do it like this. I envisioned our life together a lot differently y/n-a” Minho spoke in a low tone which sent shivers down your spine.

“Minho..what the fuck is happening? How did we get here?” you ask softly. Scared the man who brought you guys here was going to come back any minute. Maybe you should have thought a little more.

“Silly..I brought you here” Minho confesses. “Please don't get the wrong idea” He continues. “I only want us to be together forever, your mind, and I thought you knew that.” the sadness in his voice pains you a bit, almost as if he didn't just admit to kidnapping you. “I saw the way Jeongin made you blush last month. And I- I couldn't stand it!” Minho yells as he punches a wall, making you flinch. “I couldn't understand how you could fall for him! We’ve been through everything! Your mine, fucking mine.” He couldn't stop rambling. His? You two weren't dating. What did he even mean?

“So I decided to take you. Here. where you are safe from him, from all of them. Don’t worry y/n-a, I would never hurt you.” He rubs your left cheek with his thumb.

“Minho.. I think you have the wrong idea” you start to explain as Minho perks up. “I don't like Jeongin- “DON’T MENTION HIS NAME” he interrupts. The very thought of the thing trying to take his love away makes him turn red with anger. You try to explain again.

“I don't like him- I’ve been in love with you.” You say with a soft voice, scared to anger him again. You were never good with yelling and Minho knew that. You just hoped he wouldn't do it again.

He laughs. Fear fills you. This wasn’t Minho, no no it couldn't be.

“You’re right,” he says, the voice of the devil itself leaves his throat.

“Besides, Who could love you like I love you?”

It's been 3 months with Minho. He still keeps you here. But you are not trapped in the basement anymore. He tells you about the guys and how they are doing. Still refusing to mention Jeongin by name. He told them all you moved back in with your parents since your mother was sick. Surprisingly no one questioned it, or maybe Minho didn’t let them. However, you weren't unhappy. Sure you missed the sun and your friends. But Minho took care of everything for you. You were now his “partner” officially. Slowly you were getting used to this. Maybe living underwater wasn’t the worst.

“You want me endlessly (I want you endlessly)

Digging into your heart without any gaps

You get to breathe like me”

[esmes]

try as i might, i simply CANNOT stop thinking about annaleigh's mrs lovett so i need to just get this out of my system!!!

nellie lovett is a patient woman, in an overarching sense. there's ample evidence for this. in spite of hard times, she holds onto sweeney/benjamin's razors for 15 (!!!) years, all on the off chance he may someday return and have need of them again. she could've used the money, but she waited and waited. then, one day, she is rewarded for her patience. the man she held a torch for returns to her.

nellie lovett remains patient, chiding and reassuring sweeney when he is in the grips of a maddening impatience to get at the judge. she is patient with the way he is sometimes so far away, thinking of another woman even when his hands are on nellie's own form. she is patient with the way he brushes her off. she is patient with the way he sometimes looks at her like he wishes she was someone else - not always, though, because when they are plotting together she can tell it's really her he's seeing. she is patient, because there is good mixed in with the bad, and her patience has been rewarded. surely it will be again, right?

one of my favorite acting moments for annaleigh comes after the end of 'by the sea', when nellie and sweeney are ensconced on the couch and she has gotten him to concede that he loves her ("just a little bit?" uttered so quietly, so heartbreakingly unsure.) when his answer comes - "of course" - she is monstrously relieved.

sweeney is present with her just for a moment before slipping away again into his fantasy of revenge. so nellie takes his face - forcing him to look at her, hoping he will also SEE her, and finally, we see some impatience from her. after decades of not knowing, and now with her dream of a cobbled-together little family within reach, we see her beseeching him to be here, now, with her. your nellie, she says. for a moment, it seems as though he is finally ready to surrender, to commit to this life with her. they nuzzle noses and lean into the softest expression of affection we've seen from them yet. and then the moment is ripped away from them.

nellie lovett is a patient woman, and her dreams are just out of reach when she dies. even as she dances closer to her end, certain of what's to come, she desperately tries to recall her dream of the sea, to beseech him to come back to that moment on the couch with her. back to the moment when he almost surrendered.

so much of annaleigh's performance hinges on her portrayal of nellie lovett as this "bubbling bubbling pot of magic" (her own words). nellie is unflappable, optimistic, determined. she doggedly sees opportunity (and humor!) in everything. she is undeterred by sweeney's moments of indifference and callousness. there are MANY moments in which annaleigh's lovett shines, but never more so, imo, than in that moment on the couch. it makes me ACHE just to think of it. it's one of the only times we get a glimpse behind the curtain, a peek into the heart of a woman who simply cannot let go and who is going to her grave for it.

[opera-ghost]

thought this needed to be shared on its own since the sweeney team have decided to edge us with releasing the cast album

this is from the second night of previews, february 28th. i gifted the full audio here, and shared a clip of the final sequence here as well

(more notes on the clip + the production under the cut)

after the verse about the beadle, annaleigh ashford attempts to swing onto the table and misses twice, before succeeding as the audience cheers. it was really funny in the moment and played into the vibe of the song as both ashford and groban continued to crack up. this seemed to happen on more than one night during previews from what i've read, which had me suspecting that it was a planned break-in a la the music man revival. but outside of previews i haven't heard of this happening again, so they could very well have just had difficulty with this bit during the first few shows. either way, the audience couldn't get enough of it. it was just amazing to hear this whole sequence live after only ever watching the movie and concerts (where the audience volume is significantly reduced). there was just the most contagious laughter at all the right moments, and it makes me really upset in hindsight that this number was butchered so much in the movie

so much to say about ashford and groban's performances in general. they clearly have so much fun with these roles and they do this particular number such justice, in my opinion. their visual comedy is just on a whole other level, and it really let the material shine along with their vocals. some people have criticized ashford for her accent/general characterization of mrs. lovett, but i'm so obsessed with what she's brought to the role. her lovett skews younger and, to me, she offers a mix of the iconic actresses who have taken a stab at the character before. others have had things to say against groban being cast as sweeney, but i personally enjoyed him very much, and he's of course at the top of his game vocally. this production plays things pretty straight and doesn't do anything super imaginative with the staging, but it really lets the actors performances shine

as a general note for the whole show, maria bilbao absolutely kills it as johanna, john rapson as the beadle makes parlor songs into one of my favorite bits of the show, and i want to print a little picture of nicholas christopher's pirelli and keep it in my wallet. gaten mattarazo is a great tobias, ruthie ann miles's beggar woman is as entertaining as she is soul-crushing. though he's since departed, jordan fisher had amazing chemistry with maria bilbao and his anthony was very sweet. jamie jackson as judge turpin was everything you could want out of that character, though i really really would've loved to see mea culpa here. i think the judge in this production especially feels a bit empty without it

this revival makes the weird choice to remove the factory whistle, which really takes away from a lot of the drama and overall makes it feel less sweeney-esque. although, i did read that they were maybe having technical issues during previews and added it back in later? but i watched/listened to some bits after opening and didn't hear it, so... still must be noted

despite some general criticisms i'm just so obsessed with this show, it's amazing to have a full staging of it on broadway once again and the 26-piece orchestra still has me in a chokehold. i highly recommend seeing it if you can!

[muma-kitty]

despite the fact i dont ship i had a thought-

even if he developed feelings for her over the course of the story, i cant imagine sweeney ever choosing mrs lovett over lucy. hes shown the whole time how devoted he is to the woman he married, even while he believed her to be dead and had another very interested woman right there openly flirting with him.

however, the original string of pearls sweeney was not married, did not have a daughter (johanna is the daughter of mr oakley, a spectacle maker), and sometimes is written in movies to have mrs lovett as a love interest. and yet i dont seem to see anyone taking that and running with it. i mean of course the sondheim musical is vastly more popular than a centuries-old penny dreadful, but this is free real estate youre passing up here. i found an old movie from the 70s (mystery & imagination if anyone recognizes that, with freddie jones and heather canning) and he is so obsessed with her. she actually tells him to kneel for her and he does it. my god i know you all would go crazy for that.

other than that though, clearly the only correct answer to the "lucy or nellie" question is polyamory. theyre a thruple now. lucy gets the help she needs and nellie overcomes the internalized homophobia that made her hate lucy and they all adopt toby and live happily ever after :)

[sar-cast]

I'm rewatching Sweeney Todd and i just have to get this thought out:

Henry would make an amazing Sweeney. He's tall and intimidating. They are both cold and mostly with their mind wandering somewhere else.

Camilla is obviously Mrs. Lovett. The other half of Sweeney. The one who comes up with the whole plan to put people into pies. They're both endlessly devoted to the man with whom they have unclear relationship with (are they together or not?)

Francis, my beloved dramatic icon, of course has to play Signor Pirelli. My favorite Pirelli is played by Christian Borle - a dramatic wreck with the charisma of a greek god. Though, any Pirelli is good as long as he's a caricature-esk and doesn't take himself too seriously (imo he's supposed to be the comedy relief in this musical)

Richard on the other hand, poor guy, would fit perfectly as Toby. Our narrative-doomed final character. The one to relatively make it out unharmed.

Bunny. Oh, Bunny, I'm not sorry. Beadle Bamford. There's no other character i can see him as other than Beadle. And it even kinda fits. Beadle can be unliekably adorable in some sort of way (depending on the adaptation) and the same can be said about Bunny. I mean, am I the only one who liked Bunny before the lunch scene in the begging?

And lastly, Charles. With the way he's possessive over Camilla, he's gotta be the judge Turpin. Also the incest (although, Johanna isn't really related to Turpin, it still is gross).

[little-lovett]

i’m not a fan of the possessive, self righteous i-know-the-show-better-you’re-a-fake-fan energy up in here i see sometimes. we’re all here because we adore this show. that is a beautiful thing!!!! we love something SO MUCH collectively that we have a little community to be crazy about it together. so why bring in all that gross dividing energy? sweeney todd is a piece of art and a very complicated one at that. we are allowed to interpret it a certain way and still respect different interpretations. let us have our messed up ships. let us have our stupid headcannons. let us have our favorite actors/actresses. no one’s changing the objective story or manipulating characters beyond recognition. we are watching and analyzing and learning new things about these characters and this story we all love so much. i understand the deep passion and appreciation for the original story and production of sweeney todd. i share that. i also love geeking out about sweenett and josh groban and annaleigh ashford. two things can be true at once. i think a lot of this division comes from differing feelings about the revival. first of all, can we be happy this incredible musical is THRIVING on broadway and getting thousands of new fans? so many people have been pulled into this delicious, dark rabbit hole only because of the revival, myself included. of course some things in the show were adjusted for modern audiences. mrs. lovett reads sexier and sweeney a bit softer because people like that shit (also modern audiences are dense and cannot pick up very subtle messages.) i believe the original production intended that dynamic between sweeney and lovett as well. stephen sondheim The Creator has indicated such himself. this one is just more upfront with it so audiences can understand explicitly and get the most out of the show. people love dark, sad romances and evil hot girls. and the show is doing AMAZING. you can have your harsh criticisms on the current production and actors. you can be boring and hold a hateful grudge against the revival. fine!! you’re missing out!!! but don’t make it the problem of people who love it and are having fun. please stop ostracizing people and giving yourself a medal for having a closed mind.

happy new year xoxo