Judge Turpin

"How seldom it is one meets a fellow spirit."

- Judge Turpin

Judge Turpin, also known as Lord Turpin, is the main antagonist in the many adaptations of Sweeney Todd.

He is portrayed by Alan Rickman in the 2007 film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Character overview
In most adaptations, Turpin is the primary villain, who ruins the title character's life and turns him into a monster. He unjustly exiles Benjamin Barker to Australia in order to have Barker's wife, Lucy, to himself. He rapes her, after which she attempts suicide by drinking arsenic, which drives her insane. He then adopts Barker's daughter, Johanna, as his ward, planning eventually to marry her.

He is aided in his corruption by his servant and constant companion, Beadle Bamford. His character is possibly based on Reverend Lupin from The String of Pearls, due to similar-sounding names and both characters expressing the desire to marry Johanna Barker (Johanna Oakley, in The String of Pearls).

In Sweeney Todd
In Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Judge Turpin is first seen having Benjamin Barker arrested, due to his obvious infatuation with Barker's wife, Lucy. He exiles Barker to Australia on false charges. Lucy is heartbroken, and becomes a recluse, never coming down from her home. Judge Turpin continuously pursues her, sending her flowers each day. He sends the Beadle to summon her to his home, "[Blaming] himself for her dreadful plight." He rapes 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 15, 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 petty crimes.

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. Beadle grabs Johanna and takes her in a carriage to Fogg's Asylum.

Turpin receives a letter claiming that Johanna has repented, and only wants his love. 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. He then drops Turpin down the chute and before bleeding to death, Turpin grabs at Mrs. Lovett's dress.

Performers

 * Edmund Lyndeck played the original Judge Turpin.
 * Alan Rickman played the role in Tim Burton's 2007 film adaptation of Sondheim's musical.
 * Timothy Nolen played the role in 2001.
 * Mark Jacoby portrayed Judge Turpin in the 2005 revival musical.
 * Austin Kent played Judge Turpin in the 1980 London Production.
 * Denis Quilley portrayed the Judge Turpin in the London revival.