SWEENEY TODD: the barber of Fleet Street (singing role)
EZEKEIL SMITH: a mechanic
MRS. RAGG: a poor woman
TOBAIS RAGG: her son, an apprentice boy (played by a girl) (singing role)
MARK INGESTRE: a mariner
JEAN PARMINE: a lapidary – maker of the string of pearls
JOHANNA OAKLEY: a young lady in love (sings)
COLONEL EUSTACE JEFFREY: of the Indian Army
JASPER OAKLEY: a spectacle maker (singing role)
MRS. OAKLEY: his wife (sings)
Dr. AMINADAB LUPIN: a wolf in sheep’s clothing (sort of sings)
MRS. LOVETT: Todd’s accomplice in guilt (sings)
JARVIS WILLIAMS: a lad with an appetite
JONAS FOGG: the keeper of the madhouse
SIR WILLIAM BRANDON: a judge
MRS. POORLEAN: an unfortunate woman
SIX CHORUS MEMBERS: taking bit parts here and there

The legend which provides the story for this melodrama dates back to 14th century France when a certain barber in Paris was reputed to have cut the throats and disposed of his victims in a highly unconventional manner.

During the first three or four decades of the 19th century there was a revival in things horrific and the old story was "dusted off” and reappeared with its setting changed to late 18th century London. It was published as a serial in a series of sixpenny novels called The People’s Periodical and Family Library under the title ‘The String of Pearls” or ‘The Sailor’s Gift’.

It was this 19th century ‘horror comic’ that George Dibdin Pitt used as the basis if his play ‘The String of Pearls’ or ‘The Fiend of Fleet Street’. Although this was set in the time of George II, the style was unmistakably that which we now associate with early Victorian melodrama and so it was decided to place this new version in the early Victorian period.

The original play contained a number of anomalies and anachronisms and the decisions to advance the period created even more, but as those in the original were quite amusing no attempt has been made to correct them.

This new version follows very closely that of Pitt but whereas his was little longer than a ‘curtain raiser’, this has been expanded into a full-length play. A number of songs in the Victorian manner have been written by the present adapter and included in the play. This is no innovation as records show that most melodramas of the period included sentimental ballads and comedy songs. The former were often sung by a female infant prodigy of the time who played the part of a boy. In keeping with this tradition the role of Tobias in this version has been written for a girl.