Workshop (16) - Mrs Lovett Research

The print screen shows my research and comparisons between Angela Lansbury's, Patti LuPone's and Helena Bonham Carter's versions of Mrs Lovett. I looked at different aspects of characterisation, relationships and different songs. I have highlighted what I liked from each category from each of the actresses. 

Sondheim and Wheeler's script contained the following description: "Mrs Lovett, a vigorous, slatternly woman in her forties, is flicking flies off the trays of pies with a dirty rag as she sings or hums".

Stephen Sondheim's "Finishing the Hat" contains the following description: "Mrs Lovett is not only a chatterbox, she is a glitteringly disorganized one. ... She is cheery one moment, complaining the next, and can instantaneously alternate her attention between pie and customer. Her garrulousness causes her to seem irritating but harmless."

Going by the first description, all three women were perfect in the role. However, going by the second description, I personally think Patti LuPone was the best Mrs Lovett. Obviously, Helena's version is going to be completely different as her performance was for the screen and not for the stage. I like Angela's crazy nature, but I felt it was a little too much, and I prefer Patti's voice. 

Although I highlighted my favourite aspects from each characters, I have found a couple of things that none of them did that I would want to do - firstly, I would want to focus my attention on Todd rather than the razors  in "My Friends"; secondly, I want to show two contrasting mind-sets in "Wait".

Three questions I ask myself about Mrs Lovett are as follows:

1. Would she eat her own pies?
2. Did she break Albert's leg?
3. Did she kill Albert?

I haven't decided on the answers to these questions for my character as of yet, but I shall keep these in mind as I need to remember that she is arguably the most dangerous character in the show.