Lock Up Your Daughters

Lock Up Your Daughters is a musical 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 on the London stage in 1959.

In 1969, it was made into a film Lock Up Your Daughters starring Christopher Plummer, Susannah York, and Glynis Johns, but with no songs.

Productions

"Lock Up Your Daughters" opened in London at the Mermaid Theatre on May 28, 1959 where it ran for 328 performances. This was the first production at the theatre. Directed by Peter Coe with choreography by Gilbert Vernon, it featured Stephanie Voss (Hilaret Politic), Hy Hazell (Mrs. Squeezum), Terence Cooper (Capt. Constant), Frederick Jaeger (Ramble), John Sharp (Politic), Brendan Barry (Dabble), Richard Wordsworth (Squeezum), and Keith Marsh (Sotmore). A revival opened at the Mermaid Theatre on May 17, 1962 and ran for 664 performances. The director was Richard Wordsworth, with choregraphy by Denys Palmer. [cite book
last = Green
first = Stanley
title = Encyclopedia Of The Musical Theatre
publisher = Da Capo Press
date = 1980
pages = 259
isbn = 0306801132]

Another revival ran in the West End at Her Majesty's Theatre in 1963.

A Broadway version of the show was planned but closed on the road in 1960. It was directed by Alfred Drake, and featured Nancy Dussault as Hilaret, John Michael King and George S. Irving, and Hy Hazell repeating her role as Mrs. Squeezum. [Mandelbaum, Ken. [http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=518443 The Insider,] broadway.com, September 26, 2005] [Mandelbaum, Ken. [http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=517520 "Q & A: 9/9/05",] broadway.com, September 9, 2005]

The Goodspeed Opera House (Connecticut) has performed the show twice, in 1969 and 1982. The 1982 production was directed by Darwin Knight and featured Carleton Carpenter (Mr. Squeezum), Dena Olstad (Hilaret), Keith Rice, (Constant), and Jeff McCarthy (Ramble). [ [http://www.goodspeed.org/uploadedFiles/shows/PastProductions.pdf Goodspeed listings] ] [Frankel, Haskel. [http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9C04E6DD1738F93AA35756C0A964948260 "A BIT OF FROTHY FUN AT THE GOODSPEED",] "New York Times", May 9, 1982]

Plot summary

"Note: there is one set, which serves as 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."

In London, 1735, naive young Hilaret leaves over-protective walls of her father's house resolved to elope with her beloved Captain Constant. She charges Ramble with rape, and her maid Cloris charges Constant with rape. The cases are tried by the corrupt justice, Mr. Squeezum.

Characters

;Singing Principals
*Hilaret – naive young woman
*Mrs Squeezum – the lecherous wife of Justice Squeezum
*Cloris – Hilaret's maid
*Justice Squeezum – a corrupt judge
*Ramble – a ladies' man, accused by Hilaret of rape
*Sotmore – his drunken friend.
*Captain Constant – Hilaret's love interest
*Politic – Hilaret's father
*Dabble – his coffee-house friend;Other characters
*Quill – Squeezum's clerk
*Staff – a constable
*Faithful – Politic's servant
*Brazencourt – an innkeeper
*Justice Worthy – an honest man

ongs

*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?

Film

A film based on the musical and play was directed by the musical's director, Peter Coe. It was released in the UK in March 1969 and in the US in October 1969. Filmed in Kilkenny Ireland by Domino Films it ran for 102 minutes. The film originally was given an "X" certificate (over 18's) by the UK Censor, but it was given a "15" on video.

In his review, Roger Greenspun wrote: "...a three-strand plot that has been so smothered in atmosphere, activity and authenticity that even the great traditions of theatrical untruth cannot breathe life into it. The production values of "Lock Up Your Daughters!" are ambitious enough to fill three movies, but they are not sufficient to substitute for one." [ [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9803E7DA1F30E73BBC4E52DFB6678382679EDE "Lock Up Your Daughters! A Comic Resolution",] "New York Times", October 16, 1969]

Film Cast

*Christopher Plummer - Lord Foppington
*Susannah York - Hilaret
*Glynis Johns - Mrs Squeezum
*Ian Bannen - Ramble
*Tom Bell - Shaftoe
*Elaine Taylor - Cloris
*Jim Dale - Lusty
*Kathleen Harrison - Lady Clumsey
*Roy Kinnear - Sir Tunbelly Clumsey
*Georgia Brown - Nell
*Vannessa Howard - Hoyden
*Roy Dotrice - Gossip
*Fenella Fielding - Lady Eager
*Paul Dawkins - Lord Eager
*Peter Bayliss - Mr Justice Squeezum

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0064597|name=Lock Up Your Daughters
* [http://www.nodanw.com/shows_l/lock_up_your_daughters.htm NODANW listing]
* [http://www.irvingstage.co.uk/LOCKUPDAUGHTERS.htm Irving Stage listing and history]
* [http://www.musical-theatre.net/html/unsungheroines/stephanievoss.html Stephanie Voss biography]