The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-07-11
LONDON FL.OCKS ID HEAR OPERA WHICH
 IS 200 YEARS OLD
"The Beggar's Opera" Is Found to Be As Racy
 As Any of Modern A. Productions
By K. WALTER


 London, July l-(Reciprocal News Service )-Probably no other country in the world would permit such gem of it's own to lie unset and unseen for genera tions. England is fond enough of re- vivals. The great classics of the stage arc nowhere more respected or more pop ular. Old plays, from Sophocle sto Shaw, are raked over every year by the pro- ducers. Perhaps the reason "The Beg gard's Opera has escaped for so long is just because it is called an opera, for the opera tradition in England is wholly foreign, and until quite recently native music was not considered quite good taste. Also, of course, most peo- pie thought they knew all about The Beggars Opera" when they were told it was the first native English example of opera and further because it was alo years old took it for granted that # could be of interest only to antiquarians. But today London has discovered that "The Beggar's Opera is a musical com edy rather more daring in material and infinitely more clever and amusing than any other musical show in town. Nigel Playfair has put it on at the Hammer smith Lyric, and all London is crowding to see Gays work. of which it was said in TIPS that "it made Gay Rich and Rich Gay" It is exqusitely produced with much more care than modern musical comedy ever gets in spite of the money that is layished on such productions Most of the performers are young Covent Gar den stars; but they are not allowed any of the solemnities of grand opera, or only when these are burlesqued as they con stantIy are in this inimitable mixture of broad fun and dainty fancy which Is teaching Londoners. among other things, where Gilbert and Sullivan get their best inspiration.
 The title is explained-in in the first scene when a tattered began comes on the stage with one of the players whom he is thanking for his charity in bringing is now on the stage" He originally wrote it, he says to celebrate the marriage or two ballad singers. and he explains it fur ther as follows: 'I have Introduced the Smiles that are in all your celebrated operas The Swallow The Moth,' The Bee The Ship The Flower etc. Be- sides, have a prison scene. which the ladies always reckon charmingly pathetic As to parts, I have observed such nice inpartialty to our two ladies that it is impossible for either of them to take offense. I hope I may be forgiven that I have not made my opera throughout unnatural. like those in vogue, for have no recitatve."
 The action then opens with Peachum, receiver. inforner and rogue of all trades, and Filch, a pickpocket who acts as go-between for Peachum and Lockit, the rascally jailer of Newgate prison Peachum is also the king of rogues Tn that it is generally he who decides, TOT a consideration, whether they shall hang or not One hears of Matt of the Mint, Slippery Sam and other characters such as Dickens many years later portrayed, , about the leader of gang om highway men, known as Captain Macheath who is evidently paying some attention to pretty Pally Peachum. The captain is a
 -tA hi gaming He is not bringing enough to the Peachum receivership. Polly, says her mother, thinks him very pretty man. And Peachum is an lndulgent father He would grant his daughter every liberty but one-anything but mar riagel What would happen to them 1T she married? For a husband has abso- lute power over all a wife's secrets but her own .Married?" says he. If the |, wench does not know her own prors, sure she knows her own pleasure better than to make herself a property Mrs. Peachum protests. fWhy must our Polly, forsooth, differ from her sex and love onlv her husband? And why must Polly s marriage contrary to all observation, make her the less followed by other men? All men are thieves in love and like a woman better for being another man property.
 Presently Polly herself very demurely explains to her father how well sne mas in.bibed his teaching.
 q know as well as any of the fine ladies how to make.the most Of myself and of my man too. woman knows how to be mercenary though she hath never been in a court or at an assembly. We have it in our natures. papa. IF l allow Captain Macheath some trifling lib- critics have this watch and other vis- ible marks of his favor to show for lt. girl that cannot grant some things and refuse what is most material. will make but poor hand of her beauty. and soon k be thrown upon the common.
 But all this expression of maiden vir- tue is of no use Her mother has as certained that she is actually married In fine passion mother sings;
 Our Polly is a sad slut; nor needs what
 we have taught her
 I wonder if any man alive will ever rear
 . daughter!f
 For she must have both hoods and
 gowns, and hoops to swell her pride,
 With scarfs and stays and gloves and