The Beggar’s Opera  New Walk!

Of Pimps & Politicians

(or… How John Gay Invented the Jukebox Musical)

[ENTER “THE BEGGAR”. HE DECLAIMS:] Gather hither, ladies and gents, and attend my tale of pimps and politicians. 

I am The Beggar, your tour guide through this raucous recitative of 18th Century London Town’s passions and peccadilloes.

[ASIDE:] Phew! All this heart-quickening alliteration sounds like the language of some Italian opera! And that will never do! We want our filth ‘onest and English! That’s the ‘ole point of the story after all!

And what be such a saga?

It’s a romp with 18th Century London lowlives… it’s the origin story of Musical Theatre… and it’s a biography of the songs, characters and backstory that make up the original stage musical hit The Beggar’s Opera.

And that, ladies and gents (tho truth be told I suspect no true “lady” or “gent” will be fit for such a tour!) is a hoity-toity, highfalutin fig leaf for … filth, fornication and fiduciary malfeasance.

See Macheath as he gambles, drinks, steals and womanises his way through the streets of London! His real-life counterpart, the thief Jack Sheppard, is never far away. 

We’ll flick through the pages of Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies; the critics Addison and Steele and the painter William Hogarth will act as our Greek Chorus commenting on the action as we go.   

Oh, and did you hear the one about the actress who ran off with the married nobleman?

And look! There’s writer John Gay counting his cash and impresario John Rich laughing all the way to the bank – The Beggar’s Opera is, they say, the play that made Jon Gay rich and John Rich gay. Herr Handel in the Haymarket does not look best pleased!

From Adultery to Xenophobia from high opera to low dives in 1700’s London… walk this way!

[THE BEGGAR EXITS, PURSUED BY LONDON WALKERS]