The garden around Truelove’s house. Truelove and his family happily live in this out-of-the-way place. His family is his daughter Anne and Tom Rakewell, a penniless young man, her beloved. Anne’s father expects the young man to take a promising job of a bank employee, but Tom is not at all inspired by this boring prospect. He cherishes a dream of finding easier ways to earn their living. And as if his dreams were heard a Nick Shadow appears from nowhere and notifies Tom of a big fortune he is left by his unknown distant re-lative. Tom is beyond himself with joy. But he now has to urgently leave for London to settle the formalities. Anne sees him off. She is full of bitter premonitions.

In London Tom leads an extremely vicious life. He frequents the brothel of Mother Goose. The brothel-keepers tempt him with all the pleasures they know of. Finally, devastated and satiated, he begs to be released. But to prevent him from abandoning the place, a supernatural reverse of time is performed, and he is made to live all the events of the evening once again.

Anne hasn’t heard from Tom for ages, but every moment she remembers him. Sensing that he needs her help Anne decides to go to London in search of him. At night, she steals out of her father’s house.

Tom’s dreams and fads have come true. He has been exposed to every possible temptation. But the happy owner of a fortune and a fashionable house, Tom finds himself in a deadlock. Bored with all this, not knowing, what else to wish, he is now tempted by Nick Shadow to marry a scandalous figure, the well known circus actress Baba the Turk. Nick insists that this marriage will notoriously glorify Tom and give rise to a lot of talks and gossips.

After a long search Anne at last has found Tom’s house. He lives here together with his wife Baba the

Turk.Tom recognises Anne, he feels confused and embarrassed, and in their talk he persuades her that she should return home. Anne leaves without saying a word of reproach. Tom explains to the inquisitive Baba that he talked to a dairymaid, who came to ask for money.

Now it’s time for Tom to see Baba’s main secret – her beard hidden behind the veil.
The interlude

As his family life with Baba, her hysterics and scenes of jealousy, have become unbearable, Tom decides to abandon her.

He is obsessed with a new fad now – to invent a machine purported to convert garbage to bread. He is happy to invest in it what is left of his fortune. He is convinced that thanks to this excellent machine he will be the world’s benefactor.

The idea of creating the fantastic machine has seen a crash. Thousands of people are bankrupts. Tom disappears leaving his house and other personal possessions to the infuriated creditors. The day of auction. Anne happens to come here, when Tom’s house and other valuable things come under the hammer. She sees Baba the Turk. Both women are abandoned by Tom, which makes them feel sympathetic to each other. Baba the Turk advises Anne to remain true to her beloved. Sensing that his in peril, Anne sets out to search for Tom again.

Baba returns onto the stage.

Tom comes to meet Nick Shadow at the churchyard as the Diablo has claimed payment for his services. Shadow, who a year before urged Tom away from Truelove’s happy home and since has been accompanying him everywhere, wants a really terrible toll. He proposes a game of cards, with Tom’s soul at stake. Tom has no choice. The gambling begins. Nick Shadow is sure to win, but Tom, inspired mentally by his dear Anne, confidently picks the winning card. Nick’s game is up, but Tom’s victory costs him his mental sanity.

"Bedlam", a lunatic asylum. Tom imagines himself Adonis waiting for his Venus to come. And she does come - his poor Anne, who he doesn’t recognise. Together with her father she has come to see Tom. The keeper tells her that Tom responds only to the name of Adonis. Anne follows the advice. Tom recognises his Venus. He feels comforted and falls asleep to the tender sounds of her lullaby. Being aware that she can’t be of help to him any more, Anne bids farewell to Tom. The inmates of the lunatic asylum mourn over him.