The Synopsis;-
POUNDS OF LOVE
ACT ONE
The year is 1781. Full of life John Pounds [aged 15] sings about his happiness.“This is my life” Then he has his fall from the scaffold in Portsmouth dockyard. “Did you see me then”.] It then takes a time leap to 1820, when the older John Pounds is aged 54. Here he meets up with his first pupil [Tom] while saving him from going to prison.
In the mean time the boys father, along with other convicts are being deported too Australia.[The Convicts song.]
The scene then is when he starts his school. At first only a few but as the story goes on the numbers get larger and larger. The children are all very poor, dirty and destitute. [“Barney Owl”.] The seedy side of the district is revealed that he and the children live in. I.e. prostitutes, drunkards, and the squalor. [”Ere mate”] then John Pounds and landlord sing “Drunkard”
“Twinkle, twinkle little star - Angle”.] Sung by a young female child. Next John is preparing to take the children out into the country side.["We’re going”] then the children come marching on singing “Busy, busy bee”. It is during this scene that there is a romantic song duet "All I have is love" between Tom [16yrs] and Liz [15 yrs].
ACT TWO
It is Christmas Eve a few years later.] A Christmas scene with a large Christmas card and well to do people doing their shopping with lively seasonal music. Then the card is pulled to side to revile the ragged and poverty stricken people and children. Followed by John Pounds coming on dressed as St. Nicholas with sack full of shoes, [“One two buckle my shoe” This is a clog dance.] It's followed by John Pound rebuking the people, for treating the children badly, with a song/spoken. [“Can you hear me!”] making them ashamed of them selves.
The following day being Christmas day is the day when John, with the help of a neighbour make a giant plum pudding, and as always there is enough for all the children and any others who just might want some,[“What a whopper”] is sung by every one.Next Children coming to school singing the “Ragged kids march”.There is a strong scene where one of the elder boy’s [Dick] is leaving the school but does not want to.[“I don’t need him”]
Coming toward the end, there is a dream where John meets some of his old pupils who have done well for them selves. This is followed by John dying and meeting all the children who have died who went to his school. One of the children [Polly] comes forward telling part of story and what happens after where the school goes on to greater things. [The song “ Pounds of love”.]
The character of John needs to be rough even harsh and strong.
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