Edexcel GCE
Unit 6 – Text 1: The Beggar’s Opera by John Gay
Advanced
GCE
Drama and Theatre Studies
First examination of AL 2002
June 2000

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Edexcel Foundation is an innovative force in education and training, combining the skills and experience
of two internationally recognised awarding and assessment bodies – BTEC, a leading provider of applied
and vocational qualifications, and London Examinations, one of the major GCSE and GCE examining
boards in the UK.
General Note:
Edexcel has produced this edition of “The Beggar’s Opera” by John Gay, for use in conjunction with unit
six of the Edexcel GCE Drama and Theatre Studies specification. Centres may reproduce a copy of the
text in this format for each student to use as their individual production copy of the play. Students may
take their annotated copy of the text into the examination with them. The examination questions related to
the play and any page references will refer to this edition only. This performance edition contains some
minor cuts, textual re-arrangement and modernisation of the spelling.
Notes on the Music:
A Vocal Score to accompany this edition is available separately from Edexcel Publications.
The music is also available on CD-ROM as a MIDI file and audio file from Edexcel Publications.
The songs in “The Beggar’s Opera” are set to traditional tunes. Producers may wish to substitute their
own arrangements or alternative music in line with their interpretation of the play.
Edited and prepared by Steve Lewis. Authorised by Sue Parker
Publications Code UA008921
All the material in this publication is copy right, but see the note above.
Permission must be sought from Edexcel for any copying or performing rights where this material is used
for non-examination purposes.
© Edexcel Foundation 2000

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CHARACTERS:
MEN:
Mr. Peachum
Lockit
Macheath
Filch
Beggar
Player
Jemmy Twitcher
Crook-Fingered Jack
Wat Dreary
Robin of Bagshot
Members of Macheath’s Gang
Nimming Ned
.
Harry Paddington
Matt of the Mint
Ben Budge
WOMEN:
Mrs. Peachum.
Polly Peachum.
Lucy Lockit.
Diana Trapes.
Mrs. Coaxer
Dolly Trull
Mrs. Vixen
Betty Doxy
Women of the Town.
Jenny Diver
Mrs. Slammekin
Sukey Tawdrey
Molly Brazen
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MUSICAL NUMBERS:
ACT I
No1: PEACHUM: “Through All The Employments Of Life”
No2: FILCH: “ 'Tis Woman That Seduces All Mankind”
No3: MRS. PEACHUM: “If Any Wench Venus's Girdle Wear”
No4: MRS. PEACHUM: “If Love The Virgin's Heart Invade”
No5: MRS. PEACHUM: “A Maid Is Like The Golden Ore”
No6: POLLY: “Virgins Are Like The Fair Flower”
No7: PEACHUM & MRS PEACHUM: “Our Polly Is A Sad Slut!”
No8: POLLY: “Can Love Be Controlled By Advice?”
No9: MRS PEACHUM: “O Polly, You Might Have Toyed And Kissed”
No10: PEACHUM: “A Fox May Steal Your Hens, Sir”
No11: POLLY: “O Ponder Well! Be Not Severe”
No12: POLLY: “The Turtle Thus With Plaintive Crying”
No13: POLLY: “I Like A Ship In Storms, Was Tossed”
No14: MACHEATH & POLLY: “Pretty Polly, say”
No15: MACHEATH: “My Heart Was So Free”
No16: MACHEATH & POLLY: “Were I Laid On Greenland's Coast”
No17: POLLY: “Oh What Pain It Is To Part!”
No18: MACHEATH & POLLY: “The Miser Thus A Shilling Sees”
ACT II
No19: MATT: “Fill Every Glass”
No20: MATT: “Let Us Take The Road”
No21: MACHEATH: “If The Heart Of A Man Is Depressed With Cares”
No22: DANCE MUSIC/ MACHEATH & LADIES: “Youth's The Season Made For Joys”
No23: JENNY: “Before The Barn-Door Crowing”
No24: JENNY: “The Gamesters And Lawyers Are Jugglers Alike”
No25: MACHEATH: “At The Tree I Shall Suffer With Pleasure”
No26: MACHEATH: “Man May Escape From Rope And Gun”
No27: LUCY: “Thus When A Good Housewife Sees A Rat”
No28: LUCY: “How Cruel Are The Traitors”
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No29: MACHEATH: “The First Time At The Looking-Glass”
No30: LOCKIT: “When You Censure The Age”
No31: LUCY: “Is Then His Fate Decreed, Sir?
No32: LOCKIT: “You'll Think ‘Ere Many Days Ensue”
No33: MACHEATH: “How Happy Could I Be With Either”
No34: POLLY & LUCY: “I Am Bubbled”
No35: LUCY: “Why How Now, Madam Flirt?
No36: POLLY: “No Power On Earth Can E'er Divide”
No37: LUCY: “I Like The Fox Shall Grieve”
No38: LUCY: “My Love Is All Madness And Folly”
No39: LOCKIT: “Thus Gamesters United In Friendship Are Found”
ACT III
No40: MACHEATH: “The Modes Of The Court So Common Are Grown”
No41: LOCKIT: “What Gudgeons Are We Men!”
No42: TRAPES: “In The Days Of My Youth”
No42a: TRAPES “In The Days Of My Youth” (Reprise)
No43: LUCY: “I'm Like A Skiff On The Ocean Tossed”
No44: POLLY & LUCY: “A Curse Attend That Woman's Love”
No45: POLLY: “Among The Men, Coquets We Find”
No46: LUCY: “Come, Sweet Lass”
No47: POLLY & LUCY: “Hither, Dear Husband, Turn Your Eyes”
No48: MACHEATH: “Which Way Shall I Turn Me?”
No49: POLLY: “When My Hero In Court Appears”
No50: LUCY: “When He Holds Up His Hand”
No51: LOCKIT: “Ourselves, Like The Great”
No52: MACHEATH: “The Charge Is Prepared; The Lawyers Are Met”
No53: PRISONERS: Dance Music (Instrumental)
No54: MACHEATH: “O Cruel, Cruel, Cruel Case!”
No55: LUCY & POLLY: “Would I Might Be Hanged!”
No56: MACHEATH & CHORUS: “Thus I Stand Like The Turk”
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A C T I
Introduction
BEGGAR:
If poverty be a title to poetry, I am sure nobody can dispute mine. I own myself of the company of
beggars; and I make one at their weekly festivals at St. Giles's. I have a small yearly salary for my
catches, and am welcome to a dinner there whenever I please, which is more than most poets can say.
PLAYER:
As we live by the Muses, it is but gratitude in us to encourage poetical merit wherever we find it. The
Muses, contrary to all other ladies, pay no distinction to dress, and never partially mistake the pertness of
embroidery for wit, nor the modesty of want for dullness. Be the author who he will, we push his play as
far as it will go. So, though you are in want, I wish you success heartily.

BEGGAR:
This piece I own was originally writ for the celebrating the marriage of James Chanter and Moll Lay, two
most excellent ballad-singers. I have introduced a prison-scene, which the ladies always reckon
charmingly pathetic. As to the parts, I have observed such a nice impartiality to our two ladies that it is
impossible for either of them to take offence. I hope I may be forgiven, that I have not made my opera
throughout unnatural, like those in vogue; for I have no recitative; excepting this, it must be allowed an
opera in all its forms. The piece indeed hath been heretofore frequently represented by ourselves, so that I
cannot too often acknowledge your charity in bringing it now on the stage.

PLAYER:
But I see it is time for us to withdraw; the actors are preparing to begin. Play away the Overture.
[Exeunt.]
Scene 1
Scene: Peachum's House.
Peachum sitting at a table with a large book of accounts before him.
No1
PEACHUM (sings):
THROUGH ALL THE EMPLOYMENTS OF LIFE
EACH NEIGHBOUR ABUSES HIS BROTHER;
WHORE AND ROGUE THEY CALL HUSBAND AND WIFE:
ALL PROFESSIONS BE-ROGUE ONE ANOTHER:
THE PRIEST CALLS THE LAWYER A CHEAT,
THE LAWYER BE-KNAVES THE DIVINE:
AND THE STATESMAN, BECAUSE HE'S SO GREAT,
THINKS HIS TRADE AS HONEST AS MINE.
PEACHUM (spoken):
A lawyer is an honest employment, so is mine. Like me too he acts in a double capacity, both against
rogues and for 'em; for 'tis but fitting that we should protect and encourage cheats, since we live by them.
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(Enter Filch).
FILCH:
Sir, Black Moll hath sent word her trial comes on in the afternoon, and she hopes you will order matters
so as to bring her off.
PEACHUM:
The wench is very active and industrious, you may satisfy her that I'll soften the evidence.
FILCH:
Tom Gagg, sir, is found guilty.
PEACHUM:
A lazy dog! When I took him the time before, I told him what he would come to if he did not mend his
hand. This is death without reprieve. [Writes] For Tom Gagg, forty pounds.
Let Betty Sly know that I'll save her from transportation, for I can get more by her staying in England. I
love to let women escape: there is nothing to be got by the death of women - except our wives.
FILCH:
Without dispute, she is a fine woman! 'Twas to her I was obliged for my education, and she hath trained
up more young fellows to the business than the gaming table.
PEACHUM:
Truly, Filch, thy observation is right. We and the surgeons are more beholden to women than all the
professions besides.
No2
FILCH: (sings)
'TIS WOMAN THAT SEDUCES ALL MANKIND,
BY HER WE FIRST WERE TAUGHT THE WHEEDLING ARTS:
HER VERY EYES CAN CHEAT; WHEN MOST SHE'S KIND,
SHE TRICKS US OF OUR MONEY WITH OUR HEARTS.
FOR HER, LIKE WOLVES BY NIGHT WE ROAM FOR PREY,
AND PRACTISE EV'RY FRAUD, TO BRIBE HER CHARMS;
FOR SUITS OF LOVE, LIKE LAW, ARE WON BY PAY,
AND BEAUTY MUST BE FEE'D INTO OUR ARMS.
PEACHUM:
But make haste to Newgate, boy, and let my friends know what I intend.
(Exit Filch)
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Document Outline

• Characters
• Act I
• Act II
• Act III

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