A revised and edited version of the text and score by Clifford Bax and Frederic Austin, respectively, premiered on 30 December 1922 at the Kingsway Theatre in London.
Mrs Trapes (also from 'The Beggar's Opera') has set up in white-slaving and shanghais Polly to sell her to the wealthy planter Mr Ducat.
On hearing Polly's story, Mrs Ducat advises her to disguise herself as a young man, to ward off unwelcome male attention.
The play ends with Macheath being executed on the orders of the Indian King Pohetohee, and Polly marrying his son Cawwawkee, after her period of mourning.
[1] However, the ban was effective only in name, as the play was not only printed and sold in April 1729, but in June of the same year, Gay and his publisher had injunctions brought against 17 printers and booksellers for piracy of the work.