Lise is the only daughter of Widow Simone, the owner of a prosperous farm. She is in love with the young farmer Colas, but her mother has higher ambitions for her, hoping to marry her off to Alain, the son of the wealthy proprietor Thomas. Desperate to marry Colas rather than Alain, Lise contrives to outwit her mother's plans.

When La Fille mal gardee premiered in Covent Garden on 28 January 1960, it instantly won all hearts. Inspired by Jean Dauberval's French ballet, Ashton's version combines exuberant good humour and an affectionate portrayal of village life. The Royal Ballet's Founder Choreographer, Frederick Ashton, hoped to capture the 'leafy pastoral of perpetual sunshine... The suspended stillness of a Constable landscape of my beloved Suffolk, luminous and calm'. Osbert Lancaster's colourful designs bring the charm of the countryside to life.