Origin of the Sweeney Todd caricature?

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/2/18 at 11:51am

Was the "small, flamboyantly dressed angry man" who represents Sweeney Todd on the original album cover created for the show, or does he predate the play? I know his accompanying Lovett caricature is original, due to its resemblance to Angela Lansbury, but I've seen the Sweeney caricature show up in a number of other places, always without the razor, as a piece of kitsch Victoriana. (Notably, he's on a Collective Soul album cover.)

I just saw an interesting woodcutting from a Ren Faire featuring the caricature, and while I missed the opportunity to buy it, I was left wondering: does that image predate the Broadway show, or has it seeped into public consciousness since then?

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/2/18 at 12:22pm

I know Frank “Fraver” Verlizzo did it. I don't know if it's based on an existing caricature, but I bet it's in his book!

https://fraver.com

[Kad]

Posted: 8/2/18 at 12:25pm

He indeed based it on an antique woodcut and created the Mrs. Lovett drawing to accompany it.

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/2/18 at 12:26pm

I wonder... the thing that makes me suspect it might be an existing icon is that Lovett resembles the show's design, but Sweeney does not resemble Len Cariou or the frumpy dockworker design created for the Broadway version of Sweeney's look.

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/2/18 at 12:27pm

Thanks, Kad! That explains a lot.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/2/18 at 12:30pm

Is there a picture of the original woodcut online? I don't think I've ever seen it.

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/2/18 at 12:58pm

The original image is reproduced in the cover of “Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid” by Collective Soul.

[KFC1991]

Posted: 8/2/18 at 1:01pm

http://ew.com/books/broadway-posters-stories-book

This interview with Verlizzo mentions what kad said and also talks about other posters he has designed.

[Kad]

Posted: 8/2/18 at 1:08pm

I've seen the drawing (meaning the man, but without the Sweeney Todd embellishments) in other media, but I don't think I've ever seen the actual original woodcut.

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/2/18 at 1:20pm

So now we know it's an old piece- I wonder if its specific origin is even traceable? It has the look of nineteenth-century Punch caricatures or Bab Ballad cartoons.