Judge Turpin
Encyclopedia
Judge Turpin is a fictional character
in the various adaptations of the story Sweeney Todd
. He is the main antagonist
.
" features a "Mr. Lupin," an older man with an eye to marry Johanna "Oakley"
with the approval of the girl's mother, but his role is a supporting one and he has no personal connection to Sweeney Todd, who is a murderous thief without any given past. In the Tod Slaughter
film, it is Sweeney Todd himself lusting after the young Johanna. It would not be until Christopher Bond
wrote his 1973 play Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
that the character of Judge Turpin would emerge.
and Tim Burton
, Judge Turpin is first seen having Benjamin Barker arrested and exile
d to Australia
in order to have Barker's wife, Lucy
, all to himself. Lucy is heartbroken, and becomes a recluse, never coming down from her house. Judge Turpin continuously pursues her, sending her flowers each day. He sends his henchman, Beadle Bamford, to summon her to his home, "[Blaming] himself for her dreadful plight." He then rape
s Lucy, who tries to kill herself by drinking poison; she survives, but is driven insane and reduced to begging in the street.
Turpin then takes Barker's infant daughter, Johanna
, and raises her as his ward
. He keeps her locked away from the world and spies on her through a peep-hole in her wall. When Johanna turns 16, Turpin offers her his hand in marriage. She refuses, to which he seems baffled. When he spots Anthony Hope "gandering" at Johanna, he has him beaten up and threatens to kill him if he ever returns. We next see Turpin sentencing a child to hang
for "repeated" petty crimes, a verdict that the Beadle hoped for as they leave the Old Bailey
together.
On Beadle Bamford's advice, he goes for a shave at Sweeney Todd's barber shop, in order to impress Johanna — unaware that Todd is in fact Barker, returned from Australia and hell-bent on revenge. Todd is about to cut Turpin's throat when he is interrupted by Anthony, who reveals Johanna's plan to escape. Turpin promptly leaves, renouncing Todd's business. Turpin returns home and finds Johanna gathering her things, in an attempt to run away. He sends her away until she can "appreciate" what she has. Bamford grabs Johanna and takes her in a carriage to Fogg's Asylum.
Turpin receives a letter claiming that Johanna has repented, unaware that it is part of a trap laid by Todd. He is delighted and, following the direction of the letter, goes to Todd's shop, where he is persuaded to have a shave. Turpin soon realizes Todd's true identity, and Todd savagely stabs him in the neck before slitting his throat and dropping him down a chute leading to Mrs. Lovett
's basement. Before bleeding to death, Turpin grabs at Mrs. Lovett's dress.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the various adaptations of the story Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as then antagonist of the Victorian penny dreadful The String of Pearls and he was later introduced as an antihero in the broadway musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and its film adaptation...
. He is the main antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
.
Character overview
In early versions of the Sweeney Todd legend, Todd himself is the primary antagonist, and no character equivalent to Judge Turpin appears. The original story "The String of PearlsThe String of Pearls
The String of Pearls: A Romance is the title of a fictional story first published as a penny dreadful serial 1846-47. The main antagonist of the story is the infamous Sweeney Todd, "the Demon Barber of Fleet Street", who here makes his literary debut....
" features a "Mr. Lupin," an older man with an eye to marry Johanna "Oakley"
Johanna Barker
Johanna is a fictional character appearing in the story of Sweeney Todd. In the original version of the tale, the penny dreadful The String of Pearls , her name is Johanna Oakley and she is no relation of Todd...
with the approval of the girl's mother, but his role is a supporting one and he has no personal connection to Sweeney Todd, who is a murderous thief without any given past. In the Tod Slaughter
Tod Slaughter
Tod Slaughter was an English actor, best known for playing over-the-top maniacs in macabre film adaptations of Victorian melodramas.-Ealy life:...
film, it is Sweeney Todd himself lusting after the young Johanna. It would not be until Christopher Bond
Christopher Bond
Christopher Godfrey Bond is a British playwright whose 1973retelling of the Victorian tale Sweeney Todd formed the basis of Stephen Sondheim's musical of the same name, with book by Hugh Wheeler...
wrote his 1973 play Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a 1936 British film produced and directed by George King.-Plot:The film features Tod Slaughter in one of his most famous roles as barber Sweeney Todd. Sweeney Todd was wrongly sentenced to life in prison. After his release 15 years later, he begins...
that the character of Judge Turpin would emerge.
In Sweeney Todd
In Bond's play and its subsequent adaptations by Stephen SondheimStephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
and Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
, Judge Turpin is first seen having Benjamin Barker arrested and exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
d to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in order to have Barker's wife, Lucy
Lucy Barker
Lucy Barker is a fictional character that appears in some versions of the story Sweeney Todd.-Character overview:In the original legend and in the earliest melodramas and plays, Sweeney Todd has no wife or backstory and is the primary villain of the stories he appears in. His wife Lucy first...
, all to himself. Lucy is heartbroken, and becomes a recluse, never coming down from her house. Judge Turpin continuously pursues her, sending her flowers each day. He sends his henchman, Beadle Bamford, to summon her to his home, "[Blaming] himself for her dreadful plight." He then rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
s Lucy, who tries to kill herself by drinking poison; she survives, but is driven insane and reduced to begging in the street.
Johanna Barker
Johanna is a fictional character appearing in the story of Sweeney Todd. In the original version of the tale, the penny dreadful The String of Pearls , her name is Johanna Oakley and she is no relation of Todd...
, and raises her as his ward
Ward (law)
In law, a ward is someone placed under the protection of a legal guardian. A court may take responsibility for the legal protection of an individual, usually either a child or incapacitated person, in which case the ward is known as a ward of the court, or a ward of the state, in the United States,...
. He keeps her locked away from the world and spies on her through a peep-hole in her wall. When Johanna turns 16, Turpin offers her his hand in marriage. She refuses, to which he seems baffled. When he spots Anthony Hope "gandering" at Johanna, he has him beaten up and threatens to kill him if he ever returns. We next see Turpin sentencing a child to hang
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
for "repeated" petty crimes, a verdict that the Beadle hoped for as they leave the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
together.
On Beadle Bamford's advice, he goes for a shave at Sweeney Todd's barber shop, in order to impress Johanna — unaware that Todd is in fact Barker, returned from Australia and hell-bent on revenge. Todd is about to cut Turpin's throat when he is interrupted by Anthony, who reveals Johanna's plan to escape. Turpin promptly leaves, renouncing Todd's business. Turpin returns home and finds Johanna gathering her things, in an attempt to run away. He sends her away until she can "appreciate" what she has. Bamford grabs Johanna and takes her in a carriage to Fogg's Asylum.
Turpin receives a letter claiming that Johanna has repented, unaware that it is part of a trap laid by Todd. He is delighted and, following the direction of the letter, goes to Todd's shop, where he is persuaded to have a shave. Turpin soon realizes Todd's true identity, and Todd savagely stabs him in the neck before slitting his throat and dropping him down a chute leading to Mrs. Lovett
Mrs. Lovett
Mrs. Lovett is a fictional character appearing in many adaptations of the story Sweeney Todd. She is most commonly referred to as Nellie, although Margery, Maggie, Sarah, Shirley, Wilhemina and Claudetta are other names she has been given. First appearing in the penny dreadful serial The String of...
's basement. Before bleeding to death, Turpin grabs at Mrs. Lovett's dress.
Performers
- Edmund LyndeckEdmund LyndeckEdmund Lyndeck is an American character actor and musical theatre performer.Lyndeck, a former college professor, spent well over a dozen years in stock and regional theater roles before making his Broadway debut in the original production of 1776. After originating the role of John Witherspoon,...
played Judge Turpin in the original 1979 production of Sondheim's musical. - Alan RickmanAlan RickmanAlan Sidney Patrick Rickman is an English actor and theatre director. He is a renowned stage actor in modern and classical productions and a former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company...
played the role in Tim BurtonTim BurtonTimothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
's 2007 film adaptation of Sondheim's musicalMusical theatreMusical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
. - Timothy NolenTimothy NolenTimothy Nolen is an American actor and baritone who has had an active career in operas, musicals, concerts, plays, and on television for over four decades. He notably portrayed the title role in the first operatic presentation of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd at the Houston Grand Opera in 1984...
played the role in 2001. - Mark JacobyMark JacobyMark Jacoby is a Broadway performer. He has achieved fame from his leading roles in Show Boat, The Phantom of the Opera and Ragtime...
portrayed Judge Turpin in the 2005 revival musical. - Austin Kent played Judge Turpin in the 1980 LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
production. - Denis QuilleyDenis QuilleyDenis Clifford Quilley OBE was an English theatre, television and film actor who was long associated with the Royal National Theatre....
portrayed Judge Turpin in the London revival.