Act I
Scene 1 - The garden of Trulove’s house in the country; Spring
Tom Rakewell, a young and impecunious country gentleman, is in love with Anne Trulove, but her father, the squire, though anxious for their happiness, secretly doubts Tom’s strength of character. His suspicions are confirmed when Tom refuses his offer of steady employment in the city. Tom is content to put his trust in Fortune. A stranger, who announces himself as Nick Shadow, suddenly arrives with the news that an unknown uncle of Tom’s has died and left him a fortune. Tom must go at once to London to wind up his uncle’s estate and Shadow offers himself as Tom’s servant and guide through the intricacies of London life. The question of his salary can be decided in due course – a year and a day hence. Tom shall pay him what his services prove to have been worth. Tom takes leave of Anne and her father and sets off with Shadow to London.
Scene 2 - Mother Goose’s brothel, London
Shadow introduces Tom to some of the opportunities bestowed by his new-found wealth. With whores and roaring-boys as company Tom is catechised in his new creed of pleasure by Mother Goose, who presides as Lady Bishop in a ceremony of initiation. His responses are correct until a question about the meaning of love revives memories of Anne. Mother Goose persuades him to drink more deeply but his remorse increases. The whores offer to banish his sadness, but Mother Goose claims him as her own.
Scene 3 - Trulove’s garden: winter
Months have passed but Anne has heard no news of Tom. She senses that Tom needs her and resolves to go in search of him in London.
ACT II
Scene 1 - The morning-room of Tom’s house in a London square
Tom is disillusioned by his life in London and seeks vain happiness. Shadow exhorts him to marry Baba the Turk, the new sensation of Giles’ Fair. Only if he acts freely can he be happy. To be free he must defy the tyranny of appetite and conscience – the bearded Baba is the antithesis of appetite and he owes her no duty. She is therefore the perfect agent for his happiness. Tom allows himself to be persuaded by Shadow and sets off to woo and win her as his bride.
Scene 2 - The street in front of Tom’s house
Anne finds her way to Tom’s house and sees him arrive home, escorting a closed sedan chair. She greets him, but he begs her to return home and forget him. London has no use for her virtue. Anne reaffirms her love for Tom but leaves him, shamed, when she learns that the impatient occupant of the sedan chair is Baba the Turk, now his wife. Tom leads the veiled Baba to the house, as the townspeople crowd round the door begging for a glimpse of her.
Scene 3 - Tom’s morning-room
Baba sits at breakfast with Tom among the presents given to her on a series of triumphant European tours by her countless admirers. Tom is bored and infuriates her with his indifference. She accuses him of retaining his love for Anne and rages until Tom silences her. Then he relapses into sleep – the last refuge of the bored. Shadow now prepares to complete Tom’s downfall by adding financial disaster to his moral and domestic ruin. He wheels in a fantastic, bogus machine for converting stones to bread. Tom wakes and tells Shadow that he has been dreaming of just such a machine, believing that it will cure poverty and bring happiness to the wretched. Thus with good deeds he may again be worthy of Anne’s love. He leaves to devote all his energies to this noble and philanthropic scheme.
Interval lasting approximately 85 minutes
ACT III
Scene 1 - Tom’s morning-room
Tom’s financial bubble has burst, bringing ruin to himself and countless foolish investors. A crowd of inquisitive townsfolk flocks to attend the auction of his belongings. Anne arrives to ask news of Tom, but no one can tell her where to find him. The auctioneer, Sellem, begins to auction the contents of the house. In due course he offers a mysterious object. It is Baba, who springs to the defence of her belongings, unconscious of the intervening time since Tom silenced her. Tom and Nick are heard singing from the street, mocking Baba. Anne returns at the sound of the voices. Baba tells her that Tom still loves her and that her love may still save him. Anne rushes out to look for Tom, and Baba determines to go back to her true profession, the stage.
Scene 2 - A churchyard
A year and a day have passed since Shadow entered Tom’s service. He now claims his wages, Tom’s soul. An open grave is waiting. He first offers Tom a choice of death by poison, steel, rope or gun, and then proposes that they play catds to decide his fate. Shadow attempts to cheat, but memories of Anne inspire Tom to win the game. Shadow is enraged at being outwitted, but though cheated of Tom’s soul, takes his revenge by striking him with insanity.
Scene 3 - Bedlam; spring
Tom is confined in Bedlam. He thinks himself to be Adonis and when Anne comes to visit him, believes that she is Venus, whom he has long been seeking. He asks her forgiveness for so long disdaining her love. She comforts him and sings him to sleep with a lullaby. Her love is unaltered, but realising that she can no longer help him, she sadly agrees to return home with her father. Tom wakes to find Venus has gone and his heart breaks.
Epilogue
The principals join in pointing out the moral of the fable, that the Devil finds work for idle hands, and that includes us all.
An Opera Bite of The Rake’s Progress,
read by Christian Burgess with text by Antony Peattie,
is available from the Glyndebourne shop
or on 0118 978 9303 for credit card orders.