Shows B

BUDGIE Music by Mort Shuman: Lyrics by Don Black : Book by Keith Waterhouse & Willis Hall Cambridge Theatre, London - October 18, 1988 - (3 months) SYNOPSIS Act I The time is the late 'sixties' and the place is Soho's sleazy world of stripclubs, sex-shops and porno bookstores. Budgie Bird, small-time thief and would-be con-man, is employed by Soho's porn-king, Charlie Endell, to inveigle punters into the Naughty Nighties strip-club. Together with his fellow-barkers he invites customers inside. Maurice Khan, a psychopathic villain, seeks refuge inside the strip-club but is arrested by the bribable Detective-Inspector Bryant and his eager assistant, Detective-Constable Leadbetter. Before Khan is apprehended, he manages to pass on a brief-case to Budgie who secretes it in the club. Charlie enters and warns his staff of the dangers of mixing with men like Khan. Budgie's live-in girlfriend, Hazel, arrives and tells Budgie that she needs money to pay for the housekeeping, rent, and in order to provide for their two-year-old son. Budgie fobs her off with excuses and proclamations of love. Later, alone in the club, Budgie examines the brief-case and finds it full of folding money. Inside the Bella Napoli Restaurant, Laughing Spam informs the three waiters that Charlie is intending to honour them with a visit and they scurry around, preparing a meal fit for Soho's king. Hazel enters and tries to borrow money from Charlie but he has a better idea - a scheme which he will outline to her and Budgie the following evening in Poppy's Club, a seedy drinking establishment he has recently acquired. Budgie, without telling Hazel about his new-found wealth, is dubious about the meet with Charlie, and Hazel begins to wonder about her relationship with Budgie. Hazel flounces off and Bryant and Leadbetter arrive to question Budgie about the missing brief-case. Later, three strippers from the Naughty Nighties reminisce about days gone by and the innocence of youth. The next evening, in Poppy's Club, Charlie makes Hazel and Budgie an offer they can't refuse. He will employ them to run the club on a full-time basis. Hazel is delighted and even Budgie can see the potential. Budgie's estranged nymphomaniac wife, Jean, arrives and strikes up a friendship with a gin-soaked member, Connie. They sing about their separate worldly desires. Inga, a heavily pregnant stripper enters as her labour pains begin. Budgie, Connie and Jean hustle Inga out of the club. Hazel is left alone to consider her future again. Having despatched Inga to the nearby Greek Street Hospital, Budgie nips into King's bookmaking shop. But his luck is out. He loses a sizeable chunk of Khan's money. Budgie brightens - there is always more in the briefcase. The rejoicings are cut short by the arrival of Wossname who has a vicious razor-cut down one side of h is face. He bears the grim news that Khan has escaped and is looking for Budgie. Act II In the hospital waiting-room, the three strippers discuss the dismal future facing the child that Inga is about to bring into the world, If That Baby Could Talk (Fifi, Lulu, Helga). They are interrupted by a nurse who tells them that the baby has arrived and mother and daughter are both well. Inside the back-office of the Pornorama Bookshop, Budgie confesses to Charlie that he has gambled away £800 of Khan's money. Charlie is horrified at Budgie's stupidity.

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