Where was Sweeney before he returned to London?

Luc · Where was Sweeney before he returned to London?

I don't understand where Barker was before he returned to London. I think they mention Australia, and the crime was 'foolishness.' But the Australia part might not even be the answer because the line is "...Australia, or wherever you were" or something like that.

Is there a real answer?

kaelidancer

The script states, specifically, that he was "transported to Botany Bay for life..." Pirelli (or Danny O'Higgins, if you wish) remembers his arrest well, apparently, and uses it as blackmail material.

Botany Bay is, indeed, in Australia Smile

Sweeney Hyde

However, we must not forget that he, too, has "sailed the world and seen it's wonders. For the cruelty of men is as wonderous as Peru."

what_the_heck013

^But who's to say that he didn't make a few stops? Australia to London on a ship's a long trip to do in one shot.

Or perhaps he went on an unpleasant vacation to Peru way back when?

Pannic

Perhaps the 'sailed the world' bit is an exagerration on his part, and that he simply feels that his experiences with the 'cruelty of men' put him at an equal with Anthony's experiences.

Clarabelle

In those days, if you were tried and convicted of a crime you could be deported to Australia (hence 'Botany Bay'). Another good example of this on stage- Our Country's Good.

Judge Turpin wanted Lucy Barker for himself so he tried Sweeney on a trumped up charge, convicted him and 'transported him for life' to Australia (which is pretty much where you'd assume he'd been transported to). The crime of 'foolishness' is Mrs Lovett's way of saying that if Benjamin Barker had been more clued up then he wouldn't have been deported.

Sweeney then escapes, at some undetermined point in the future and travels back to England- but we don't know EXACTLY his route, though if I were to look into it I would imagine he probably took merchant routes back as those would have been the ships available to sail on. He meets Anthony when he is picked up on a life raft and that becomes the final leg of his journey.

Also, there's no guarantee he went to Peru- he is singing in response to Anthony, who says that HE has been to Peru, so it could just be rhetoric.

Luc	Where was Sweeney before he returned to London? I don't understand where Barker was before he returned to London. I think they mention Australia, and the crime was 'foolishness.' But the Australia part might not even be the answer because the line is "...Australia, or wherever you were" or something like that. Is there a real answer?
kaelidancer	The script states, specifically, that he was "transported to Botany Bay for life..." Pirelli (or Danny O'Higgins, if you wish) remembers his arrest well, apparently, and uses it as blackmail material. Botany Bay is, indeed, in Australia
Sweeney Hyde	However, we must not forget that he, too, has "sailed the world and seen it's wonders. For the cruelty of men is as wonderous as Peru."
what_the_heck013	^But who's to say that he didn't make a few stops? Australia to London on a ship's a long trip to do in one shot. Or perhaps he went on an unpleasant vacation to Peru way back when?
Pannic	Perhaps the 'sailed the world' bit is an exagerration on his part, and that he simply feels that his experiences with the 'cruelty of men' put him at an equal with Anthony's experiences.
Clarabelle	In those days, if you were tried and convicted of a crime you could be deported to Australia (hence 'Botany Bay'). Another good example of this on stage- Our Country's Good. Judge Turpin wanted Lucy Barker for himself so he tried Sweeney on a trumped up charge, convicted him and 'transported him for life' to Australia (which is pretty much where you'd assume he'd been transported to). The crime of 'foolishness' is Mrs Lovett's way of saying that if Benjamin Barker had been more clued up then he wouldn't have been deported. Sweeney then escapes, at some undetermined point in the future and travels back to England- but we don't know EXACTLY his route, though if I were to look into it I would imagine he probably took merchant routes back as those would have been the ships available to sail on. He meets Anthony when he is picked up on a life raft and that becomes the final leg of his journey. Also, there's no guarantee he went to Peru- he is singing in response to Anthony, who says that HE has been to Peru, so it could just be rhetoric.

The Resource For Musicals

Where was Sweeney before he returned to London?