Lock Up Your Daughters

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Lock Up Your Daughters is a musical by Lionel Bart. It was based on an 18th century comedy, Rape Upon Rape, by Henry Fielding and adapted by Bernard Miles. The lyrics were written by Lionel Bart and the music by Laurie Johnson. It was first produced at the Mermaid Theatre in London in 1959.

In 1969, it was made into a movie starring Christopher Plummer, Susannah York, and Glynis Johns.

1 Plot summary
2 Cast
3 The Scenes
4 Songs
5 Director's Challenge

[edit] Plot summary

Licentious London, 1735. The age of the coffee-house politician, the corrupt Justice, and the young gallant whose principal delight is the ravishing of virtuous maidens. Unversed in the wicked ways of the world young Hilaret sallies forth from the over-protective walls of Papa's house resolved to elope with her beloved Captain Constant. Separated from her maid, Cloris, during a street scuffle, she finds herself in a deuced dangerous situation with a distinctly virile young gentleman named Ramble. Her cries for assistance only lead her into further peril, for she and Ramble are both hauled on trumped-up charges before that rogue of rogues, Mr Justice Squeezum. Once in custody, Hilaret becomes the latest apple of the Justice's ever-wandering eye, while Ramble is "rescued" by the bountifully amorous Mrs Squeezum. That Constant, too, happens at that moment to be in jail is just one of the lucky circumstances that eventually resolve this rumbustious story.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Singing Principals

Hilaret.

Mrs Squeezum.

Cloris.

Justice Squeezum.

Ramble.

Sotmore, his drunken friend.

Constant.

Politic, Hilaret's father.

Dabble, his coffee- house friend.

[edit] Straight Role

Justice Worthy, an honest man.

[edit] Smaller Roles

Quill, Squeezum's clerk.

Staff, a constable.

Faithful, Politic's servant.

Brazencourt, an innkeeper.

A night-watchman.

A gallant.

A servant.

A serving wench.

[edit] The Scenes

A single composite setting is suggested which becomes in turn a street scene, Justice Squeezum's courtroom, Mrs Squeezum's boudoir, a tavern bar-room, Politic's parlour, Hilaret's bedroom, a prison cell, an upstairs room at the tavern, and Justice Worthy's courtroom

[edit] Songs

All's Well

The Gentle Art of Seduction

If I'd Known You

I'll Be There

Is This the Happy Ending?

It Must Be True

Kind Fate

Lock Up Your Daughters

Lovely Lover

Mister Jones

On the Side

A Proper Man

Red Wine and a Wench

Sunny Sunday Morning

There's A Plot Afoot

'Tis Plain To See

When Does the Ravishing Begin?

[edit] Director's Challenge

This work is a substantial challenge to a director in this day and age. To begin with, the opening number covers the entirety of the plot, such as it is, which pretty much blows any suspense that might be generated. This leaves up to the cast to convey the story in as entertaining a fashion as possible. Secondly, the politically correct are outraged that rape should be a subject of humour. The point of the production clearly sailing high overhead. A movie was produced in 1969, that has received glowing reviews on IMDB [1].