Wigmaker Sequence / The Ballad of Sweeney Todd: ”Sweeney’d Waited Too Long Before” / The Letter

[ANTHONY, spoken]
Mr. Todd, Mr. Todd! I found her! I found Johanna!

[TODD, spoken]
You have?

[ANTHONY, spoken]
That monster of a judge has had her locked away in Fogg's Asylum! Oh, Mr. Todd, she's in there with those screeching, gibbering maniacs—

[TODD, spoken]
A madhouse! A madhouse!
Johanna is as good as rescued.

[ANTHONY, spoken]
She is?

[TODD, spoken]
Where do you suppose all the wigmakers of London go to obtain their human hair?

[ANTHONY, spoken]
Where?

[TODD, spoken]
Bedlam! They get their hair from the lunatics at Bedlam. For the right amount, they'll sell you the hair off any madman's head. Come, we will write a letter arranging a visit and offering to this Mr. Fogg the highest price for hair of the exact shade of Johanna's—which I trust you know?

[ANTHONY, spoken]
Yellow?

[TODD, spoken]
No, not exact enough!
I must make you into a credible wigmaker—and quickly.
(sung)
There's tawny, and there's golden saffron
There's flaxen, and there's blonde
(spoken)
Repeat that. Repeat that!

[ANTHONY, spoken]
Yes, Mr. Todd!

[TODD, spoken]
Well?

[ANTHONY]
There's tawny, and there's golden saffron
There's flaxen and there's blonde

[TODD]
Good
There's coarse and fine
There's straight and curly

There's gray, there's white
There's ash, there's pearly

[ANTHONY]
There's coarse and fine
There's straight and curly

[TODD]
There's corn-yellow
Buff and ochre and
Straw and apricot...

[ANTHONY]
There's gray, there's white
There's ash, there's pearly
There's corn-yellow...

[SOLO ALTO & SOLO TENOR]
Sweeney'd waited too long before—
"Ah, but never again," he swore

[SOLO BARITONE & SOLO BASS]
Fortune arrived. "Sweeney!" it sang
Sweeney was ready and Sweeney sprang

[SOLO ALTO & SOLO TENOR]
Sweeney's problems went up in smoke
All resolved with a single stroke

[SOLO BARITONE & SOLO BASS]
Sweeney was sharp, Sweeney was burning
Sweeney began the engines turning

[QUINTET, variously]
Sweeney's problems went up in smoke
All resolved
And completely solved
With a single stroke
By Sweeney!
Sweeney didn't wait
Not Sweeney!
Set the bait
Did Sweeney!
Sweeney! Sweeney! Sweeney!

[ANTHONY]
With finer textures
Ash looks fairer

[TODD, spoken]
Good.

[ANTHONY]
Which makes it rare
But flaxen's rarer—

[TODD]
No, no!
The flaxen's cheaper...

[ANTHONY]
Yes, yes, I know—
Cheaper, not rarer

[TODD, spoken]
Now off with you, off! But Anthony, listen to me once again. When you have rescued her, bring her back here. I shall guard her while you hire the chaise to Plymouth.

[ANTHONY, spoken]
We'll be with you before the evening's out.

[TODD, spoken]
Good.

[ANTHONY, spoken]
Thank you, Mr. Todd. Thank you.

[SOLO BASS]
Most Honorable Judge Turpin—

[SOLO TENOR]
Most Honorable—

[SOLO SOPRANO & ALTO]
Honorable!

[SOLO BASS]
I venture thus to write you this

[SOLO BARITONE & BASS]
Urgent

[SOLO BARITONE]
Note to warn you

[SOLO BARITONE & BASS]
That the hot-blooded—

[QUINTET]
Young—

[SOLO BARITONE & BASS]
Sailor

[SOLO SOPRANO & ALTO]
Has abducted your ward Johanna—

[SOLO BARITONE & BASS]
(Johanna!)

[SOLO TENOR]
(Johanna!)

[SOLO SOPRANO & ALTO]
From the institution
Where you

[SOLO TENOR, BARITONE & BASS]
So wisely

[SOLO SOPRANO & ALTO]
Confined her

[SOLO BARITONE]
But, hoping to earn your favor

[SOLO TENOR & BARITONE]
I have persuaded the boy to lodge her here tonight

[SOLO TENOR, BARITONE & BASS]
At my tonsorial parlor

[SOLO ALTO, TENOR, BARITONE & BASS]
In Fleet Street

[QUINTET]
If you want her again in your arms
Hurry
After the night falls

[SOLO TENOR]
She will be waiting

[SOLO SOPRANO, ALTO, BARITONE & BASS]
Waiting...

[SOLO BARITONE & BASS]
Your obedient humble servant

[TODD]
Sweeney Todd