LOVETT

In search of profits for her pub, a penniless but resilient woman conspires with a murderous stranger to unscrupulously climb the social ladder of an unforgiving Georgian London - despite bringing out the very worst in each other.

About

LOVETT is a reimagining of the story of Mrs Lovett from the penny dreadful tale of Sweeney Todd.

LOVETT is the macabre tale of Violet Lovett, a destitute fortune teller turned publican, struggling to sell a single pie or ale who encounters Sweeney Todd, an enigmatic sailor with askew morals and murderous intentions. LOVETT is a cut throat show where, by the end, blood is on everyone’s hands.

Despite the film and stage musical adaptations likely entrenched in the popular subconscious, LOVETT will take the story in a different direction, sharing only the source material for inspiration.

By offering an opportunity to breathe new life and perspective into a known narrative, this female led period piece will appeal to audiences interested in both the horror and drama genres whilst benefiting from the built in demographic the established - and public domain - IP will generate.

With death around every corner and poverty at your door, the narrative of LOVETT is set amidst the destitute end of Georgian London where being moral will get you nowhere.

This gritty tale will expose how far our characters will go to survive, from the petty crimes of deceit and exploitation to the more deplorable taboos of murder and cannibalism.

As LOVETT is set before the traditional elements of the known Sweeney Todd narrative come to fruition, dramatic irony can be heavily utilised by teasing the known beats and turning points whilst simultaneously keeping the plot at full steam. As well, Violet’s perspective will allow new elements not seen before into this classic tale.

This show is primarily aimed at the UK market aged 25+ with an interest in female driven stories with sinister undertones. Fans of horror shows such as INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE, HANNIBAL and TRUE BLOOD will likely enjoy LOVETT.

Teaser

EXT. CIRCUS - NIGHT

The moonlight glistens down onto wagons humming with CHATTER.

Tonight's show has ended and the circus is now a home.

SUPER: LONDON, 1770

A lioness paces her tiny cage and ROARS.

EXT. WAGON - NIGHT

Outside an ivy-ridden wagon sits a painted sign:

LEARN YOUR DESTINY &

CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

Light rain begins to fall.

INT. WAGON - NIGHT

Thick smoke dances through the candlelit wagon. Heavy drapes hang from the wooden roof, surrounding a crooked table.

VIOLA WELLS (19), sits across from EDDY COLE (9) a chubby boy with chins that wobble when he giggles. Still dressrf in her mystical get up, Viola holds Eddy's hands and reads his palms in a mystically dramatic - albeit still Cockney - voice -

VIOLA

And this one, this line tells me of your wealth. What will it reveal to

me? A pauper or king shall you be?

Eddy's mouth sits ajar, entranced -

EDDY COLE

What's it say?

VIOLA

Oh my! What a rich man you will

become.

EDDY COLE

(giggling)

It doesn't say that!

VIOLA

You must find when you are older Master Cole. I might even

consider... holding your hand.

He giggles. But it fades as he realises...

EDDY COLE

But you'll always be here. With us.

VIOLA

Yes. Of course, my dear.

She clears her throat. Her performance is back on.

VIOLA (CONT'D)

Now darlin' Eddy. This here, this is your life line. Do you see it?

Right... about... here!

She tickles him up his arm and he bursts into more giggles -

EDDY COLE

Stop it!

She only tickles more.

VIOLA

This is serious, young man!

He pulls his arms back and catches his breath.

EDDY COLE

Okay. My turn. My turn.

She smiles, flips her hand over willingly.

He leans in, heavily concentrating - tongue out.

VIOLA

Everything okay?

He frowns.

VIOLA (CONT'D)

Eddy?

EDDY COLE

You don't have a life line.

She looks down. She doesn't.

VIOLA

Huh.

THUD - the door bursts opens.

The rain chucks down on a bulky silhouette:

-- WILLIAM COLE (52) a bald, stout man with all the charm and grace of a goose, wanders in. He waves the smoke away as he takes off his gloves and props his rifle up against the wall.

EDDY COLE

Father!

Eddy jumps down and leaps into William's arms.

WILLIAM COLE

Are you bothering Miss Wells again?

EDDY COLE

I wasn't. I swear. Tell him, Viola!

Viola grins -

VIOLA

Nothing but trouble.

WILLIAM COLE

Sounds about right. You've got to watch this rascal.

(to Eddy)

C'mon, Eddy. Back to your mother.

Viola pulls back the drapes, tidies up the table.

EDDY COLE

But I just got here!

WILLIAM COLE

She's been cooking all day for us. Show her

some damn respect.

Eddy pouts... but he pulls his boots on.

WILLIAM COLE (CONT'D)

That's it.

Viola folds her table cloth, eyes up the rifle by the door.

VIOLA

(to William)

Good hunt?

WILLIAM COLE

Hunt? Ah, alas, no. The new fowl. She can't take the weight of Lil'

Joe. It was the kindest thing.

VIOLA

For who?

Their eyes meet for just a moment. William grins. Then, he kneels down and ties up Eddy's shoes.

WILLIAM COLE

Meat's meat. It ain't got a soul. We all gotta find a

way to survive.

(to Eddy)

Give us a minute, lad.

Eddy rushes back and hugs Viola goodbye. She holds him tight before he runs out into the rain.

Viola turns to William... the atmosphere now feels grown up. She sits and folds her arms -

VIOLA

Here to reminisce, William?

William reaches into his coat, pulls out a letter. Viola shifts in her seat, looks anywhere but at it.

He unfolds the parchment.

VIOLA (CONT'D)

No need to read it out. I know what it says.

WILLIAM COLE

This one's real bad. They ain't holding

back anymore.

She stands, waves it away with a flick of the wrist -

VIOLA

It's just dots and dashes.

She pulls back a heavy drape to her bedroom space.

WILLIAM COLE

Words! Threatening words. And so far your

response has been... less than ideal.

She plumps pillows and straightens her sheets...

VIOLA

I ain't running from zealots who don't know

theatre from witchcraft.

He steps to her, grabs her waist and nuzzles into her neck...

She freezes.

WILLIAM COLE

My offer still stands. Think on it - we could run away, start anew. No

more threats... no more circus... no more responsibilities.

VIOLA

Is there some satisfaction you gain from rejection William? You seek it

weekly, it seems.

He steps back, nods respectfully.

VIOLA (CONT'D)

Your wife -

He holds his hand up -

WILLIAM COLE

No need to twist the knife.

He clears his throat and points to the table.

WILLIAM COLE (CONT'D)

What do you want me to do?

She picks up the parchment, stares at the letters that float around and jumble up. For Viola, a woman who never learnt to read, the words are truly dots and dashes.

She drops it back down and shrugs.

VIOLA

Whatever it is you do with rubbish.

INT. WAGON BEDROOM - NIGHT

Viola rests in a deep slumber. She COUGHS a little - at first lightly, then violently!

She jolts up, wide-eyed at:

-- A ROARING FIRE rips through the inside her wagon!

She leaps out of bed, grabs a trunk and pops it open. She dodges wild flames to shove in what she can reach!

Last inside is an ORNATE TRINKET BOX.

She hurls the trunk out the small window above her bed then scrambles out after it.

EXT. CIRCUS - NIGHT

Viola stares... watching her wagon burn.

The dots and dashes suddenly feel very real.

CIRCUS FOLK gather around her, watching in shock and fear as Viola's home buckles under the flames.

EXT. WOODS - NIGHT

The wagon's smoke drifts above the trees.

Viola trudges through the woods with black feet and a singed night dress. She grips the handle on her trunk, tries to hold in the tears.

CRUNCH. She turns around:

-- William, his pistol on his hip. He stands in the tree line, a flaming torch in hand.

He steps toward her...

WILLIAM COLE

No money, no family, no skills.

Where are you going Viola?

VIOLA

I dunno. Anywhere where people

aren't trying to kill me.

Another step.

WILLIAM COLE

What about your contract?

VIOLA

Seriously? Fuck my contract.

WILLIAM COLE

Debts must be paid. You've not

earned me half of what I paid for

you.

He's close now. Too close.

VIOLA

Have some humanity! I nearly died tonight!

He sighs.

WILLIAM COLE

That was not my intention.

Her trunk SPLATS into the mud.

WILLIAM COLE (CONT'D)

I only wanted to scare you but then the fire caught and -

She runs forward and shoves him into a tree trunk.

-- He smacks her across the face, lands a punch in her stomach. She HOWLS.

-- She grabs the flaming torch, SCREAMS as she thrusts it into his chest. He SHRIEKS in pain but she pushes it deeper!

His shrieking stops. His head flops down.

Then, he falls to the mud.

Viola stumbles back... she takes in the sight of the burned hole in his stocky chest...

CRUNCH. She looks up:

-- Eddy stands in the distance.

VIOLA

Eddy..?

He can't talk. He can't think. Just fear.

She sees his little face and knows the life she had is over.