Taboo plot synopsis for the ones who have been asking, Broadway and London

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 2/20/08 at 1:38pm

OK im writing this from memory (as im a lot more familiar with the UK one than the Broadway one which i only watched 3 times)
Im also having to type this quick so i apologies for any spelling/grammar errors.

Taboo Broadway
The show starts with Phillip Salon and Big Sue, 2 former members of the new romantic club scene which spread through the UK in the 80s.Its today's time and they are stood in the remains of the now closed Taboo Night Club waiting for a local newspaper to come and interview them about the good old days.
Phillip begins to reminisce and with the spin of the disco ball now sat on the dance floor we go back to the 1980s, Phillip and the ensemble sing 'Freak/Ode To Attention Seekers'
Philip and Big Sue will continue to guide us (sometimes as narrators) through the 80s.
We meet George ()Boy George) stood in a phone box calling his mother for some financial help after been kicked out of his digs for stealing a white head dress (hes wearing it on his head) but his mother isn't in, just his father so he hangs up and sings 'Stranger In This World' about how mothers know about their sons, even the things they don't tell them.

Philip meets George for the 1st time at the phone box and offers to help him get a job at the local night club.

Over on the other side of town, a flamboyant and isolated girl called Nicola is getting ready to head in to London Town to the heart of the New Romantics.Shes a huge fan of the fashion designer Leigh Bowery and dreams of meeting him one night when she out (Leigh was often seen out on the scene in a variety of insane outfits).Nicola tells her mum that no one can understand her and leaves for London Town singing 'Safe In The City' about how the city is the only place she feels she belongs.

Once at the club Nicola is turned away at the door again (it happens nearly every week)by the flamboyant doorman Steve Strange.Crying in the car park she bumps in to Big Sue and immediately recognizes Big Sue since she works for Leigh Bowery, Sue gets her in to the club and tells her "i will introduce to Leigh if you like", Nicola is over the moon.

Once inside the nightclub we see all the outrageous flamboyant new romantics in all their glory 'Dress To Kill'
Then emerging from the balcony is another one of London's New Romantic scenes famous Faces Marilyn.A man who dresses like Marilyn Monroe and seems to think hes just as Popular, He sings 'Genocide Peroxide' the anthem about how great he is.

In the bathroom's at the club we meet a strange creature called Leigh Bowery, the creator of outlandish fashions and modern art.He sings 'I'll Have You All' about his passion for boys with pretty faces.
After the song Nicola is introduced to Leigh and her dream comes true when he asks her to work for him, he only does this to annoy Big Sue.

We soon learn that Marilyn is only a star in his head and actually works at the club along side Boy George who works in the Cloakroom.The 2 gossip (and bitch of course) until a young man called Marcus enters with his girlfriend.Hes a photographer(aspiring) and catches Georges eye.His girlfriend wants to leave and finds the scene quite appealing but marcus seems fascinated by it (and george).

After work George and Marilyn are on the way home and bump in to Marcus who is shivering on the street out the back of the club.Marilyn leaves George to it and we find out that Marcus told his girlfriend to go home and that he was gonna spend the night at a friends, unfortunately that friend isn't home leaving him out in the cold.Without missing a beat George offers him a place to stay at his and off they go.

At Georges house (or squat) George flirts with Marcus who insists hes straight.Narrating the scene, Phillip and Sue sing 'Sexual Confusion' by the end of it George and Marcus have slept together.

The next morning Marcus is still asleep in the bed and George is at his dresser looking in the mirror at himself, he sings 'Pretty Lies' questioning will people like him without the facade, more importantly will Marcus like him.
Marcus awakes and says he has to go but he will call George, George of course thinks he will never hear from him again..little does he know.

The same day George and Marilyn head down to selfridges to do a spot of shopping (George is dressed in a kimono and Marilyn in his trademark black dress).George tells Marilyn that hes met a drummer who wants him to sing in his group, marilyn is excited for him (if not a little jealous) and after a quick run in with the sales girl who is disgusted at the appearance of them both) the 2 sing 'Guttersnipe' about their fantasy's of being famous.

We skip forward a few weeks and George and Marcus are still seeing each other.The 2 sing about how they are difficult to be with but if you stick with them they will be worth it in the end 'Love Is A Question Mark'.
During the same song, Nicola who is now working with Leigh sings how she is falling for him and Leigh sings how hes strangely attracted to her.

At the end of the song we find out that George is getting ready to go in to the recording studio with his band to record a demo for Virgin Records.The band is Culture Club.

In Leigh Bowery's apartment Sue pops round to to tell Leigh that she has landed him a gig as a performance artist.Leigh is thrilled.Sue also confides in him that she doesn't trust Nicola, and that Nicola is trying to take over, but Leigh wont have any of it, he wont hear a bad word said about his new friend.
Leigh and Sue head out for dinner leaving Nicola alone who seems to be annoyed at Leigh's friendship with Sue, Jealousy is rearing its ugly head.

At the recording studio George is getting ready to record his demo but Phillip and Marcus are trying to tell him what to do and whats best.Not wanting to pick between his best friend and his boyfriend he kicks them both out of the studio until he has finished recording 'Do You Really Want To Hurt Me'.After the recording session Marcus breaks up with George saying his confused.

At Leigh's Performance artist gig Big Sue and Nicola have a run in about leigh.Sue warns Nicola that she needs to stop trying to take over his life but Nicola just accuses Sue of been jealous.Across town Culture Club are making their stage debut.Marilyn cheers on George as only he could "get on stage and sing bitch" he shouts before throwing a nervous Boy George on to the stage. for a triumphant gig 'Church Of The Poisoned Mind'

Back at Leigh's Debut as a performance artist the crowd wait to see what the outrageous Leigh will do, so he does what any performance artist would do, his piece involves him giving birth to Nicola and announcing to everyone that Him and Nicola are now Married!!! Sue is not impressed.Leigh also announces that he will be opening a new nightclub for all the fabulous people, the club will be called Taboo.

Act 1 ends with the end of culture clubs triumphant gig 'Karma Chameleon'

ACT 2
Act 2 opens with the launch of the club Taboo, every Thursday all the fabulous and outrageous people gather for the most spectacular club night in London 'Everything Taboo'
All the usual suspects are there,Big Sue, Philip Salon, Boy George and Marilyn, Marcus etc.Boy George is now a star with Culture Club and Marilyn tags along with him everywhere (freeloading) Marilyn wants to be a star too and asks George to help him.In the club George takes drugs for the 1st time along with Marilyn.

In the club Sue overhears Leigh and his new wife talking about Leigh having an appointment at the hospital, when she asks Leigh about it he denies it.

Marcus and George and have now Broke up but they run in to each other at Taboo, Marcus says sorry for breaking up with Geroge and asks if they could get back together, George is off his face on drugs so agrees to get back with him and says he will look after him.
Philip tries to warn George that Marcus is just using him because hes a star now but George wont hear it and He and Philip fall out.

The next day Sue tries to confront Leigh again about the hospital visit and asks him about being HIV,but Leigh gets angry at her and chucks her out of his apartment and ends the friendship.

Whilst on tour Marcus and George are having a drink and Marcus tells him that hes bored of living off George and could he be the Boy George Photographer and work for Virgin.

Sue now banned from Taboo after her argument with Leigh sits alone at home on Thursday night and sings 'Talk Amongst Yourselves' about how empty her life is now.

Culture Club is now world famous and George is finding the pressures of Fame hard and is addicted to drugs including heroin and cocaine.In 'The Fame Game' he sings how the pressure is to much and that he doesn't have a life anymore outside of Fame.Marilyn also makes his debut as a singer but the sound system fails and he throws a tantrum and walks off stage.

Back in Georges Apartment he and Marilyn are having a drugs binge and we see how out of control his habit has got.
Marcus enters annoyed at George after going to Virgin Records expecting a job but realizing George had not set it up.He tells George enough is enough and that hes killing himself with the drugs 'I See Through You', He storms out with Marilyn leaving George alone.

Leigh on the other hand is loving his new found fame as a performance artist and has installed himself in a glass box at the Art Museum (hes a living work of art) he sings 'Ich Bin Kunst' about how he is art.At the end of the song his wife Nicola tells him he needs to go to the hospital for his check up, but Leigh wont go, his obviously scared.

Marcus decides to sell the story about Boy Georges Drug habit to the papers, he takes no money for the story, instead doing it hoping it will force George to get some help.The story breaks all over the world.The press condemn him and even the houses of parliament calls him a disgrace.

Philip runs in to Marcus on the street and tells him he is disgusted at him for selling the story on George to the papers, Marcus tries to explain but before he can his straight friends jump in and beat Philip up.Marcus tries to help him up but Philip tells him to go away.Hes left alone Bruised and bloodied to sing 'Petrified'

At a TV appearance Philip visits him and they make up after their spat at Taboo.Philip tells him that hes worried about him and all the drugs hes doing.
Later that day George is arrested for possession of drugs and the reality of his problem sets in.
In the song 'Out Of Fashion' George sings about how his life is falling apart as do the rest of the gang who lives are also declining, Marilyn cant get his career of the ground, Philip is feeling like a has been, Marcus cant escape the guilt of selling George out to the press and Leigh's health is getting worse.

At the hospital big sue comes to visit Leigh who is dying, the 2 make up and even Sue and Nicola bury the hatchet.
After sue is gone Leigh Dies with Nicola at his best side.She sings 'il adore' about how Leigh will be missed and how much she will miss him.

The set changes back to what it was at the beginning, the now derelict Taboo with Philip and Big Sue waiting for the man from the paper to interview them about the 80s and the new romantics.George enters and says hes been called there for the same reason.
Marcus then arrives and it turns out hes the one doing the interview and he got them all back together.
Marcus finally gets to tell George that he sold the story about his drug problem to help him,George tells him that that story saved his life.
The group sing 'Come On In From The Outside' a song about being who you are and never been afraid to shine.During the song Marilyn and Nicola join them.Its the 1st time the group have been back together in years

The group all pose for the picture Marcus is taking, and the lights go down.

I hope that makes sense and isn't to messy (awful grammar i know)

I just thought that some of you who have the cast recording who said they didn't understand what was going on in the show could do with this.

Any questions just ask X

Updated On: 2/20/08 at 01:38 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 2/20/08 at 1:49pm

Sensational synopsis --- and more detailed than anything official could ever have been.

Just reading it brought the show back to me and that final image of them being photographed in the now-vacant and deserted Taboo nite-club always brings tears to my eyes. The show represents my own early 80's nite-club days and friends, so it was somewhat cathartic of a show for me.

Thanks again!

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 2/20/08 at 2:06pm

aww thanks, im glad it made sense

God that show had a lot of characters and plots lol

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow]

Posted: 2/20/08 at 2:24pm

You are absolutely wonderful. Thank you for this. You should submit this for Taboo's entry on Wikipedia.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 2/20/08 at 2:52pm

haha i think it would need a grammar overhaul lolX

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/20/08 at 4:46pm

That's an awesome synopsis. Perfect, really.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 2/20/08 at 4:52pm

*blushes* well i hope it helps

i will do one for London Taboo tomorrow so you can see the changes etc

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 2/20/08 at 6:41pm

Taboo - London Synopsis

ACT 1
Act 1 begins with Philip Salon singing Freak/Ode To Attention Seekers, he introduces us to all the New Romantics in Londons soho district.
Next we enter the James Family home where Billy lives with his mum and dad.Billys dad is unemployed thanks to the thatcher era.
Billys dad Derek starts rating about Billy been a waste of space and starts to mock him because he wants to be a photographer.Billy finally snaps and decides its time to leave home and move to London and discover himself.He packs his bag and says bye to his long suffering mum and leaves 'Safe In The City'

A quick reprise of Freak and Billy is in London.whilst walking around the streets billy runs in to cross dressing drug dealer called Petal but Phillip drags him away from him.

Philip tells billy he knows of a place where he can stay, a squat with a few other people living there.

On arriving at the squat billy is met by the fiery Kim a punk looking girl who wants to be a fashion designer.She says he cant live there as it's full but when George enters (he also squats there) its decided billy can stay.
George is wearing heavy makeup and what can only be described as a white toga, Billy is fascinated by this i cant stop looking at him.
George explains to Billy how his father is a builder so was never happy at how George turned out, but reveals his mother is a different story, billy goes to the kitchen with Kim whilst George sings' Stranger In This World'.

When Billy re enters George kisses billy taking him by surprise, Billy runs off.

Off we go the night club where Steve Strange is on the door picking who is aloud in.Kim, Billy, Philip and George are all there for a big night out.

Billy is fascinated by everyone in there and begins to take pictures of everyone.Steve Strange premieres his new hit record Fade To Grey, but the rest of the revelers are sick of hearing so pull the plug half way through.

Petal turns up dealing his drugs but the bouncer chucks him out after a disturbance.We are then introduced to another popular face on the scene Marilyn who is a guy who dresses like Marilyn 'Genocide Peroxide'

We then meet Jane who works for the magazine ID, she asks George for a quote about the new romantic scene and he gives one.

During the night we go in to the mens bathroom at the club to find Leigh Bowery, hes an outrageous Fashion designer and Performance artist wo traveled from his home land in Australia to be a part of the cool London scene, He sings 'I'll Have You All' about how he cant get enough of boys with pretty faces.

Billy enters the bathroom and is amazed by Leighs outlandish look, Leigh is instantly attracted to the good looking photographer and gives him his number "call me if your ever at a loose end" he tells Billy.

Time has moved swiftly on and Kim and Billy are getting closer than ever, the chemistry between them is obvious.He is taking pics of kim and modeling her latest creations for her, the 2 are falling for each other 'Love Is A Question Mark'

Just when the 2 are about to take their actions further, George comes home and makes a seen, flirting with Billy an insisting he should be with him.George and Kim start to bitch at each other "you warm yourself in the freezer" George tells her, Billy is sick of it and runs off.

Out on the street late at night, cross dressing drug dealer petal is peddling his drugs 'Shelter', Billy walking the streets after running out on Kim and George runs in to Petal and expresses his disgust at what petal does (dealing) and almost winds up getting slashed by Petal but luckily Billy manages to get away.

Billy's mum is on the phone to Kim and the 2 talk about their love for billy, Josie (billys mum) just wants to know that her son is ok, Kim reassures her that hes fine.

Sat in on her own kim starts to question if Billy will still like her if she removes all the make up and opens up to him, a prospect terrifying to her, but she does it 'Pretty Lies'
When Billy sees her without the make up he is shocked out how beautiful she looks.Kim apologies for her and George arguing and explains it's just how they are, they love each really.

Kim explains to Billy that she is a virgin, and before you know it the 2 are in the bedroom and couldnt be happier.

George annoyed that Billy wants to be with kim instead of him joins Marilyn and heads down to selfridges to do a spot of shopping (George is dressed in a kimono and Marilyn in his trademark black dress).George tells Marilyn that hes met a drummer who wants him to sing in his group, marilyn is excited for him (if not a little jealous) and after a quick run in with the sales girl who is disgusted at the appearance of them both) the 2 sing 'Guttersnipe' about their fantasy's of being famous.

Back with Josie (Billys mum) she is missing Billy and wondering where her life went so wrong, she doesn't love her abusive husband anymore, the only night out she gets is down the local pub and her life is just plodding along in no direction 'Talk Amongst Yourselves'.

Josie then calls Billy but hes out and Phillip answers the phone, he invites josie down to London to come and see Billy "oh you should come to my club, im having a party" he says.Josie decides shes going too.

Its time for George to record his demo with his new group Culture Club and the session goes well apart from the producer stopping one song after realizing that George was singing about another man.He records a different song to keep the producer happy "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me"

We see during the course of the song Culture club start to rise to fame.The single hits number 1, the papers question his sexuality etc.Billy sees George at the club and tries to talk to him but after George felt he picked Kim over him George isn't so forthcoming.Eventually he lets Billy take his picture and Billy flirts outrageously, but is he just using George?

George runs in to Jane who used to work for ID magazine but now works for the Sun, Jane never used to give him any attention in ID magazine but now hes a star she crawling to him "just a few words George" she says, to which he reply "ok rearrange these 2 Off Piss"

Jane storms out and as she does Billy bumps in to her and tells her hes got some great pictures of George and asks if the paper would buy them.Jane isnt interested "snappers like you are a ten a penny, bring me something i can really use about him, something juicy", she hands Billy her card and leaves.

Billy tries to talk to George again and asks if he could put a word in for him at his record company to be a photographer.George annoyed that hes barely asked him how he is, leaves annoyed.

Billy not knowing what to do calls Leigh Bowery who told him to call if he was ever at a loose end.Leigh tells him to come round and that he will make Billy's Dreams a reality.

Leigh is entering his new creations in to a talent contest called Miss Mud Day Queen Ball and wants billy to model his creations for him.He tells billy that he can get him in front of the camera istead of behind it, he just has to do everything Leigh tells him too.
When Billy gets To Leigh's House, Leigh and His salves begin to give billy a makeover to turn him in to a star on the New Romantic scene 'Touched By The Hand Of Cool.He tells Billy he will make him the talk of the town and proceeds to call everyone telling them that Billy is now one of his models and will be in the show, rumors also start to fly that Billy is sleeping with Leigh and these rumors get back to Kim who's heartbroken 'Church Of The Poisoned Mind'

Its the day of the miss mud day queen show and and Leighs collection wins, modeling it is Billy dressed in Gold hot pants.leigh also announces he is opening a club called Taboo.In walks Kim and Billys mother, they are shocked at what they see and Leigh makes out to her that they have been sleeping with each other.Kim is outraged and his mother is disappointed in him, everyone leaves leaving billy alone embarrassed *stranger In This World Reprise*


ACT 2
Taboo is now open and everyone who is anyone is the there 'Everything Taboo'.Kim and Josie (who has decided to leave Billy's dad and stay with Kim in London) go to the club to see what all the fuss is about.
Whilst there Josie and Kim decide to team up and and create a fashion line of their own and rent a flat from Philip who's at the club with them.
Billy is now hanging out with Boy George, kim sees them together and presumes they are sleeping together, both are at the club along with Marilyn.
Billy tries to apologies to Kim about the Leigh Bowery incident but Kim doesn't want to know, she calls him a user insisting hes just getting with people who can help his career.

At the club we see that George is getting in to drugs.Billy tells Leigh he doesn't want to work as his model etc anymore as hes unhappy and wants kim back, leigh calls him ungrateful.
Josie tells Billy she is ashamed of him and annoyed at what hes done to Kim.

Petal comes to the club and does drugs with Marilyn and George.George gives billy drugs as well and billy asks george if he can work at virgin records and be his official photographer.George agrees and tells him to go to Virgin and tell them hes working for him now, Billy is thrilled.
We also see reporters asking around about George and his drug habit.

Josie and Kim are at home and we see that their business is starting to take off.Josie is like a new woman full of ambition, shes found a true friend in Kim and in Philip Salon whos also around at the flat.
A knock at the door and it's Billys Dad, josies husband.He wants her to come home but Josie stands up to him and says Never.He takes an instant dislike to Philip who's also at the house so Josie chucks him out.Shes shocked she has just stood up to him after all these years 'Independent woman'

Back in Georges Apartment he and Marilyn are having a drugs binge and we see how out of control his habit has got.
Marcus enters annoyed at George after going to Virgin Records expecting a job but realizing George had not set it up.He tells George enough is enough and that hes killing himself with the drugs 'I See Through You', He storms out with Marilyn leaving George alone.

Walking home from the shop Philip sees Josies husband at the bus stop.Philip tells him that Josie did the right thing ending it with him, Josies Husband beats Philip up in the street and spits on him, Left bruised and Bloodied Philip sings 'Petrified'

Leigh's live in helper sue, opens a giant curtain to reveal that Leigh has installed himself behind a sheet of glass as a work of art at the art gallery ,he sings 'Ich Bin Kunst' about how he is art.At the end of the song Sue tells him he needs to go to the hospital for his check up, but Leigh wont go, hes obviously scared, Sue knows he is HIV positive.

Billy has been away to New York to photograph Marilyn's 1st concert to launch his debut single.Back in the UK he goes to see his Mum, Kim and Philip are also there.Kim still refuses to talk to him.Billy tells her that he cant stop thinking of her and apologies for sleeping with George.Kim starts to come round...Unfortunately as she does a wasted Boy George turns up at the house and has a go at billy for leaving him and going to New York with Marilyn.George collapses in a heap on the floor.Josie and Kim have a go at Billy for knowing that George was abusing drugs and not trying to help him.

Billy meets up with Jane and gives her pictures of George using drugs and the full story about his drug habbit.He takes no money, he does it thinking that it will push him to get help.The story breaks and there is outrage at George.

George is arrested for possession and the seriousness of his problem hits him.George, Steve Strange, Marilyn and Billy sing 'Out Of Fashion'.George sings at how quick his life is falling apart, Marilyn about his failed career, steve at becoming a has been and billy is riddled with guilt over what he has done.

At the hospital Leigh lays dying of Aids, his trusted friend Sue is with him when he dies.Sue sings 'I'l Adore'

Back on the street and petal is still dealing, annoyed billy tries to stop him dealing to a young boy and ends up in fight with petal, petal pulls a knife on him but just in the nick of time George turns up and saves him.

The 2 talk about everything what has happened and the mistakes they have made.Billy says sorry for the story but George tells him its saved his life 'Pie In The Sky'

George tells him how hes going to India to take some time to study with the harry krishners and that Billy can go with him if he likes.

George, Billy, Philip, Kim and Josie all go with him.After a few weeks the group decides to go home after finding the answers they were looking for 'Bow Down Mister' but Billy decides hes going to stay for awhile and take some time to think.

End of show