"The Beggar Woman's Lullaby" - Sweeney Todd...

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/6/06 at 11:42pm

What is the deal with this song?

Was it not part of the original production? It's not on the tour DVD, and not on the cast recording.

It also seems to have been dropped from other major productions, including the new revival.

It is included on the concert DVD, and I think it's beautiful - especially the way Vicki sings it.

I do find it a bit confusing though, what is the Beggar Woman trying to express through this song? How did this song come about, and why is it usually dropped?

[Prisoner 24601]

Posted: 1/6/06 at 11:55pm

I think she's reminiscing because she enters the barbershop and remembers that she used to live there. It brings back memories of her old life and her daughter.

I think it's normally dropped because the show gets too long.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 12:29am

It was not in the original Broadway production. It was first included in the original London production, circa 1980 or so. While it's pretty, and develops further the Beggar Woman's leitmotif (almost everything she sings is based on the minuet that accompanied her rape at the masked ball), I think it slows down the show when you really need to get on with the action.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 12:40am

The song was heard in the first preview of the new production of SWEENEY and was cut by the second performance.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 1:11am

I don't think it slows down the show really. It's all of 45 sec. I think it was put there to further support the BEggar Woman = Lucy concept. Sondheim has always said that he wished he could add more music to Sweeney.

[Isabella2]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 1:58am

i think it allows the audience to figure out who the old woman actually is too quickly. i know when i saw the revival it was a complete shock to know that the beggar woman was his wife.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 2:11am

I think Sondheim though, actually, is the one who wanted to cut it from this production after the first preview. He apparently suggested most of the music cuts.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 2:11am

When is this song supposed to appear in the show?

I'm with Isabella, I hate being let on to huge plot points like that too soon, because I always pick up on them and it ruins the intended dramatic ending.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 2:23am

Maybe I'm smart but I can't recall a point in my life where I didn't know the beggar woman was Sweeney's wife by, like, halfway through :P

[DirtyRottenGirl]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 3:09am

I know this is a little off topic but I miss in the revival the little doll she carried around in the other productions.

[emo_geek]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 3:28am

Am I the only one who was completley shocked -_- haha it's ok I'm like that.

[RockabyeHamlet]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 5:37am

I realized it when I was wathing the tour dvd and she mimed the opening of the window, similer to in "Poor Thing" and my jaw dropped and i was like "oh ****...."

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 12:10pm

Having previously known the show, I knew what was coming. But the first time I'd ever seen it, it was definately a shock.

I doubt smarts have anything to do with it, roninjoey.

Updated On: 1/7/06 at 12:10 PM

[Isabella2]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 12:27pm

i knew there was gonna be a plot twist i just didn't know how it was going to go. and i think it was because that song was cut that i was in utter shock by the end of the show.

[PerforMeg]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 12:09pm

I think it is chilling. I love that up to that moment the final sequence has just been jam packed and all of a sudden she enters the room and you have silence.

If the show is too long there is plenty of other less meaningful stuff to cut.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 1:37pm

Actually it's HARDLY too early. It's the exact right time. You're supposed to realize who she is and then be on the edge of your seat (silently pleading NO) when Sweeney actually kills her. It's an old theatrical device. The audience knows something the protagonist doesn't. We see him make the mistake and think "OH no!!! Look what you're doing". The rest of the play you wonder when Sweeney's going to firgure it out. I mean really when this song appears there's only 15-20 mins left in the show anyway. I don't think the audience is supposed to be shocked by who she is when Sweeney is. We find out a hint before he does (even without the lullaby) when she opens the window.

[LilBwayLady]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 2:42pm

i never knew the begger women was his wife....how did you guys figure that one out....(not including the song she sings)

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 3:00pm

It's called Dramatic Irony.

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 5:19pm

Maybe the title should have a spoiler alert...


I've only seen the current revival production, and I had no idea she was his wife until it was actually revealed. I was shocked. Maybe I'm a little slow, but in this production I don't think the audience is expected to find out until after he kills her. I think it works well that way, too (although I don't have anything to compare it to).

[roquat]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 6:46pm

I love the lullaby, and I don't think it necessarily gives away the plot. By that time in the show, so many things are happening at once that that moment of repose is really needed, and I don't think it goes on long enough to really give the audience time to process it. If they do, it's similar to the effect later on when Sweeney nearly kills Johanna.