Adolfo Perrelli

Signor Adolfo Perrelli, also known as David Connors is a fictional character in various adaptations of the Sweeney Todd story. Due his first name and moustache, it is possible that Perelli may be a parody of Adolf Hitler.

Character overview

Perrelli is first introduced as an Italian barber who is "all the rage" in Victorian London. He is very theatrical and dresses in extravagant clothing. Perrelli both physically and psychologically abuses his apprentice, Tobias Ragg. His real name is actually David Connors, and he was Sweeney Todd's assistant as a boy.

Perrelli claims to have shaved the King of Naples and the Pope, arrogantly referring to himself as "the King of the Barbers and the Barber of Kings." As part of his act, he pretends to be a devout Christian, at one point praising God for bestowing the gift of talent upon him and at another point saying (albeit sarcastically) "May the good Lord smile upon you" to Todd.

Fictional character history

The main character, Sweeney Todd, and his accomplice Mrs. Lovett are in a square where Perrelli's assistant, Tobias Ragg, is advertising a concoction of his master's entitled "Perrelli's Miracle Elixir" which is purported to stimulate the growth of hair. Todd however, denounces the Elixir as "an errant fraud" and a concoction of "piss and ink."

Enraged, Perrelli emerges from his tent to berate Sweeney, who challenges him to a competition: whoever shaves a person the most quickly and dexterously will win five pounds. Beadle Bamford is the judge of the competition. Perrelli proves to be quite talented, but he wastes time bragging about his vast talent and superiority over all other barbers. Todd actually concentrates on doing the job, meanwhile, and so wins. Perrelli begrudgingly pays him five pounds.

The following day, Perrelli and Toby arrive at Mrs Lovett's Meat Pie Emporium to visit Todd, whose establishement is atop Mrs Lovett's. While Mrs Lovett gives Toby a pie downstairs in her parlour, Perrelli ascends the stairs to Todd's room to confront him. Perrelli reveals that his real name is David Connors and he is in fact British, with a heavy cockney accent. He also reveals that he knows Todd's true identity as Benjamin Barker. Benjamin was imprisoned years ago by the villainous Judge Turpin and his henchman, Beadle Bamford, because Turpin desired Benjamin's wife, Lucy. After being released from prison, Benjamin changed his name to Sweeney Todd and set about getting revenge on those who wronged him. Perrelli threatens to expose Todd to the Beadle unless Todd pays him 50 percent of the profits. Todd, in a rage, seizes a nearby teapot and bludgeons Perrelli unconscious with it before hiding his body in a trunk. He later returns and finishes Perrelli off by slashing his throat.

In Tim Burton's , he was portrayed by Sascha Baron Cohen.