All That Glitters Is Not Gold

A wealthy cotton manufacturer's two sons have fallen in love in all the wrong places. Stephen adores Martha Gibbs, a virtuous factory worker, while Frederick's heart belongs to the aristocratic Lady Valeria. Their father Jasper Plum, obsessed with protecting his sons' fortunes, is certain Martha is a calculating gold-digger after his millions. He dismisses her poverty as a clever disguise while swooning over the polished manners of nobility. But as Sir Arthur Lassell enters the picture, pursuing both ladies himself, the tangled web of romantic attachments reveals that appearances are dangerously deceptive. In this sparkling Victorian melodrama, the very people we distrust may be made of sterner stuff than those we welcome with open arms. Morton's farce-born wit gives sharp teeth to the title's ancient wisdom: what glitters most often hides the least substance. A delightful comedy of manners that asks whether money can buy class, and whether we ever truly see those we love.