Script/ Dialogue

Sweeney Todd is set in London. Both Todd and Mrs. Lovett have Cockney accents which are typical of the East End of London. They drop their 'h's' saying words such as 'ouse, 'ello, 'aving and 'aunted. Mrs. Lovett says 'fink' instead of 'think'. They both have a problem with subject/verb agreement, saying things like "Times is hard.." and "I'm telling you them pussy cats is quick".

Mrs. Lovett also makes up words. For example, "Gorge himself to bloatation" meaning he ate so much that he got bloated. She refers to her "business" as "The Meat Pie Emporium" which of course is far too grand for her unsuccessful so called "business".

As for the vocabulary that is used, the word "bleeder" comes up quite a lot throughout the movie. This is a pun because a bleeder is an insulting name for a person, yet it also means that it is one who bleeds if cut while shaving. And funnily enough, the clients have their throats slit whilst getting a shave, therefore, they are all bleeders. Other words that are used are "chums" for friends and "little nipper" for young boy. A historical word that is used is "beadle" which was used to describe someone who is an officer of the law. This was before the police force was set up.

Judge Turpin speaks in a more high-class accent with rounded vowels. He says thing such as "There premises are hardly prepossessing" meaning "this place isn't great". He also says "You gandered at my ward Joanna" rather than "You looked at my ward Joanna" and "You'll rue the day you were born" meaning "You'll regret the day you were born" His choice of vocabulary shows that he is educated and well brought up.

The song lyrics play a huge part in the movie, they tell the story as it unfolds through music. They also have a way of revealing the past in a short amount of time and in great depth of emotion. Dialogues are carried out through song, like when Todd and Mrs. Lovett plan the different flavoured pies that they could create, such as Priest, Judge, Poet and Lawyer pies.

The script itself consists of comic and tragic moments. There are quite a lot of puns used like "Closest shave you've ever known" which is funny because it's a play on words between the literal meaning of close shave and figurative meaning.