The play is set in the ancient roman town of Pompeii just before Vesuvius is about to erupt. All the characters have been given latinised names suggestive of their character. Lurcio, is the head slave to the bumbling Senator Ludicrus Sextus, his wife Ammonia, their promiscuous daughter Erotica and virginal son Nausius. At the beginning of the play Lurcio tries to deliver the prologue, but is constantly interrupted by the demands of the household and the other various characters in the play.

There’s the runaway slave girl Voluptua, who’s escaped from a galley slave ship and promises Lurcio she’ll do anything he asks if he’ll hide her: Lurcio cannot believe his luck and hides her in the bathroom. Then we have the sexually obliging Suspenda who arrives at the house for a secret liaison with Ludicrus while the latter’s wife Ammonia is away in the country. Ludicrus not being at home, Lurcio hides her in the bedroom to wait for him. We have the evil Captain of the galley slave ship, Captain Treacherous and his dopey sidekick Kretinus who are searching for Voluptua. Then we have the upstart footman Corneous who’s after Lurcio’s job. When love-sick Nausius arrives he wants Lurcio to help him find a beautiful slave girl he helped escape, not knowing that Lurcio has her stashed in the bathroom. He’s written a love ode to her which he wants Lurcio to read aloud, which Lurcio does, but can’t finish the rhyme. Then of course there’s the bringer of doom and gloom, Senna the Soothsayer. With all the interruptions, secret liaisons and hidden women, Lurcio is quickly caught up in all the mayhem.

The play is brimming with innuendo, double entendres, and tongue-in-cheek jokes as Lurcio makes countless asides to the audience. Up Pompeii is a very funny play with laughs from start to finish.