15 research topics for students performing Sweeney Todd. Each research topic has at least three links to videos and websites. My students worked in pairs to prepare a factual powerpoint and a short scene or song about each topic with some very funny results! Enjoy!

Mrs Lovett's first song, shortened for the script available from my store. This plays in Media Player and VLC.

The shortened tracks to accompany the short Sweeney Todd script available from my store. First three tunes: Prelude, London and Alms here are all playable through Media Player or VLC.

My Friends, London and Alms songs, shortened to fit the script available from my store.

Toby's song, Perelli's Miracle Elixir, shortened to fit the script available from my store.

Pirelli's introduction and the shaving contest.

Mrs Lovett persuading Sweeney Todd what to do with the body.

The 10th and 11 musical snippets for the short Sweeney Todd script available from my store. Mrs Lovett and Toby sing as they sell their delicious pies, followed by the Beggar Woman's curses at the bakehouse.

"Don't I...know you...mister?"

The grand finale! Hold for applause....

City on Fire!

10 starter games which help students with memorising lines, characterisation, imagery etc. Plus a bonus one! These are all tried and tested and beloved by my classes from 11 - 19! Examples are given of any more complicated games. No printing or resources needed apart from this Powerpoint (and not even that necessarily if you know the rules!) (These also make fun games for parties either at the end of term or, frankly, after a few pints at the pub!)

Resources for Drama work on Sweeney Todd. The script has been edited down to the bare essentials with only a few songs. Backgrounds are to be projected in the classroom to set the scene. Performance assessment proforma included.

This sequence of lessons spanned about 10 weeks but these were the powerpoints I used to structure the first 6 lessons. After this, rehearsal took on a larger role. These 6 PowerPoints include starters relevant to the dramatic skills the students should practice, introductions and with clear objectives and activities to develop students’ abilities and play with the text. There are also plenaries beyond just comparing themselves to the objectives. I performed this version of the script (the pdf is included for your ease here. It is not my work but is freely available) with year 7 and it has more than enough drama with none of the swearing or racism. The lessons themselves have activities for a range of abilities and ages and would be easily adapted to any other text. They work on voice, showing status through body language, symbolism, memorizing lines, teamwork and characterization, among other topics. This play is for 14 students, so we had understudies for each part and they teamed up to work on characterisation (though some decided to perform in contrasting ways) . The narrators took on a character each, other itinerant travelers in our case, but we discussed making them cats or dogs, birds or even angels. Break a leg!!