The London Merchant: A Tale of Sex and The Bible

University Theatre, University of Colorado at Boulder, Colorado, Denver

About the Show

The London Merchant: A Tale of Sex and The Bible, tells the story of an impressionable young man torn between the Christian morals of his master — the aptly named Thorowgood — and the attractions of Sarah Millwood, a prostitute. First performed in 1731, it was one of the longest-running plays of the eighteenth century English stage, frequently performed as a reminder for apprentices to remain honest, pure and loyal to their masters.

Adapter and director Oliver Gerland adds original songs, strips the text of leaden moralizing and liberates the voice of Millwood, a critic of predatory capitalism and the men who practice it.