 The Buccaneer
A musical play in 2 acts by Sandy Wilson.
Produced at the New Watergate Theatre - 8 September, 1953 (season)
Lyric, Hammersmith - opened: 8 September, 1955; closed: 4 February, 1956.
(170 perfs)
Synopsis
The Buccaneer, a traditional comic newspaper for boys, is
up for sale by the late founder's wife, Mrs. Barraclough. She breaks
the news to Mabel, her young secretary, that Mr. Maximus, the American
publisher, has offered to buy it and change it into one of his horror
magazines. Among The Buccaneer's regular features are the
ongoing adventures of Captain Fairbrother written by the ageing Mr.
Dunkin. All three are present when Mr. Maximus visits.
At a café Mabel asks her fiancé Peter, a private tutor,
to help find an investor and luckily he knows just the person, the rich
divorced mother of Montgomery Winterton, one of his more precocious pupils.
He puts the idea to Montgomery who is well advanced for his age and Peter
attempts to suppress him. Mrs. Winterton arrives slightly tipsy and is
interested in helping, in order to get closer to Peter. Montgomery sees
his role as running the comic and persuades his American friend Marilyn
to help. She admits to her friends that she rather likes a certain type
of boy.
The sales of The Buccaneer are increasing thanks to Montgomery's
influence but Mabel is upset about the sway Mrs. Winterton has on Peter.
Montgomery and Marilyn are also having relationship problems and she
leaves him. Marilyn happens to be the daughter of Mr. Maximus and she
admits to him that she has been helping with The Buccaneer and
now wants to see it fail.
Peter's arrives to tell Mrs. Winterton that their relationship is over.
Peter has returned to Mabel but the result is that Mrs. Winterton is
no longer going to invest in the comic.
The arrival of Maximus and Marilyn to talk to her about business starts
off another relationship, this time between Maximus and Mrs. Winterton
while Mabel, Montgomery and Peter come to terms with losing the comic.
With The Buccaneer seemingly set to close, Mrs. Barraclough
and Mr. Dunkin realise they were behind the times while Montgomery and
Marilyn, back together again, accept that they are just good friends.
However, Montgomery has already organised a rally of the nation's children
in Trafalgar Square in support of The Buccaneer. Headed by Captain
Fairbrother (Peter in disguise), the march proves to Maximus that this
very British comic does indeed have a future, and the publication is
saved.
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