Performed at Oakengates Theatre, 15th-19th October, 1996

The year is 1934, and crossing the Atlantic ocean between new York and Southampton is the luxury liner the SS American.

Travelling on board are Hope Harcourt; her mother, a society matron and the foppish Sir Evelyn Oakleigh, Hopes English Finance. Also on board are Reno Sweeny, a night club singer (and former Evangelist) and her artistes, The Four Angels;Elisha J. Whitney , a wall street executive; the gangster Moonface Martin, disguised as a Priest and Bonnie, a Gangsters Moll. Whitney’s general manager, Billy Crocker, has also boarded the ship to finalise his bosses travelling arrangements.

Whilst still on board Billy encounters Reno, who is an old friend, and after being sacked and then re-instated by Whitney, bumps into Hope, a girl he had met previously at a party. Appalled by the thought of her marrying Sir Evelyn, he stows away to try and stop the wedding. With no ticket for the voyage, Billy is soon befriended by the gangster Moonface who gives Billy the passport and ticket of another gangster. As a result Billy has to adopt a number of disguises to avoid arrest. Billy finds himself falling in live with Hope and asks Reno to keep Sir Evelyn out of the way.

Meanwhile Bonnie has been making herself useful by keeping a look-out on behalf of Moonface and Billy, at the same

time finding comfort in the arms of a sailor or two. Reno having agreed to keep Sir Evelyn out of the path of Hope and Billy , finds herself falling in love with the Englishman. Billy finding life difficult, is no longer able to keep up his disguise and announces to the whole company that he is an impostor. As a result he gets thrown into the brig for stealing a first class ticket and is joined by Moonface who has just confessed he is Public Enemy number 13.

There they learn that Mrs Harcourt has arranged for Hope to marry Sir Evelyn on board ship and a plot is hatched to escape to prevent the wedding.

Meanwhile, Sir Evelyn admits to Reno that instead of marrying Hope he would rather be with her, but cannot bring himself to jilt Hope. With the help of Billy and Moonface, Reno takes things into her own hands and “Blackmails” Sir Evelyn into giving up Hope leaving the coast clear for Billy to marry Hope and Sire Evelyn to marry her. so with all the romances resolving themselves to everyone’s satisfaction, we know that, on board ship at least “Anything Goes”.