[2] Pirelli is first introduced as an Italian barber, toothpuller, and snake oil salesman who is "all the rage" in Victorian London.

Pirelli often abuses his young apprentice, Tobias Ragg, slapping him across the face for the slightest infraction, and often for no reason at all.

His real name turns out to be Daniel O'Higgins ("Alf Spiral" in the original Christopher Bond play and "Davy Collins" in the film), and he was Sweeney Todd's apprentice as a boy.

Todd, on the other hand, concentrates on doing the job and, after carefully preparing his razors and mixing the lather, shaves the customer in a matter of seconds to win the five pounds.

While Mrs. Lovett gives Toby a pie downstairs in her parlour, Pirelli ascends the stairs to Todd's room to confront him.

In this interpretation, Pirelli is actually a Cockney thief named Davy Collins, rather than the Irish Daniel O'Higgins, and rather than strangling him, Todd bludgeons him into unconsciousness with an iron tea-pot before slitting his throat.