Trial by Jury

STORY

Trial by Jury

At the Court of the Exchequer, a jury and a crowd of spectators have assembled to hear a scurrilous case. The Defendant has abandoned the Plaintiff on their wedding day, and she is bringing him to court to seek whatever recompense the law can provide.

The Usher exhorts the jury to approach the case with an open mind, while noting that they need not heed the dishonourable Defendant. The Defendant thus finds himself battling the jury’s ire from the start. Deciding the best course is honesty, he tells the crowd that he left the Plaintiff because he was bored with her and found another woman closer to his heart. This endears him somewhat to the jury, who recall their own romantic weaknesses.

The Learned Judge enters to great ceremony and describes his career – having married a rich attorney’s ugly daughter, he achieved the pinnacle of professional success. Once wealthy, he rid himself of his wife. The jury and public, delighted by the roguish charm of this self-made man, ignore the fact that he has just admitted to the Defendant’s ‘crime’.

The jury is sworn in and the Plaintiff – decked out in her wedding dress and preceded by her Bridesmaids – arrives. She is the vision of spurned beauty and immediately captivates the hearts of all in the room (save, of course, the Defendant). The Counsel for the Plaintiff poignantly states her case and describes the Defendant’s betrayal, with the Plaintiff playing her distress for sympathy.

The Defendant says his change of heart was natural and unavoidable, offering to marry both the Plaintiff and his new beloved to settle matters. The Judge is amenable, but the Counsel for the Plaintiff reminds everyone that bigamy has been frowned upon in Britain since the times of James II. Everyone in court puzzles over the solution.

The Plaintiff argues that her abandonment calls for large damages to be awarded by the court. The Defendant, saying he smokes and drinks and can be a terrible boor, argues that the damages should be small as the Plaintiff is not losing a good husband. The Judge proposes getting the Defendant drunk to see how badly behaved he is, but the rest of the court objects. Finally the Judge proposes another solution: he will marry the Plaintiff himself. The opera concludes with ‘joy unbounded’ for all.
 

A Matter of Misconduct! 

Sylvia Lawless, a high-powered lawyer, lays out the world of political scandal and corruption.

Deputy Prime Minister Roger Penistone is filming a promotional video to boost his leadership bid. It is the final week of one of the dirtiest leadership campaigns in history and Roger is the front runner.

After the filming of the campaign video, Press Secretary Hugo Cheeseman prepares Roger for a live link interview with the talk show Loose Women that he will conduct with his wife, Cherry, an aspiring wellness guru. As Roger is fitted with a radio mic, Sandy Hogg, a government special advisor, bursts in with urgent news: a former civil servant has retained incriminating emails and is about to leak major stories about both Roger and Cherry. A lawyer is needed if this matter is to be mitigated.

Enter Sylvia Lawless, who lays out a plan involving legal threats, financial settlements, and a PR strategy to bury the scandal. The team scrambles to contain the damage.

Suddenly, Hogg and Cheeseman receive shocking news: the current Prime Minister has been hospitalised and may not recover. In an unexpected twist of fate, Roger is now the acting Prime Minister, which will certainly bolster his chances in the upcoming election.

As Roger prepares for a major press conference, he realises to his horror that the microphone fitted for Loose Women has been live the entire time. He desperately tries to destroy the device, but is ultimately foiled as the press corps swarms into the room and assails him with a barrage of questions.

In the aftermath of the press conference, Sylvia Lawless finds the discarded microphone pack, which she pockets.