The Cabinet Minister.

by Arthur Pinero.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

It is well known that Mr. Pinero holds decided views of his own as to the nature and function of farce; indeed, he claims for it a wider scope and a more comprehensive purpose than have ever been a.s.sociated with farce of the old Adelphi type, or the more modern genus of the Palais Royal. He has openly expressed his opinion that farce must gradually become the modern equivalent of comedy, since the present being an age of sentiment rather than of manners, the comic playwright must of necessity seek his humour in the exaggeration of sentiment. Thus Mr.

Pinero holds that farce should treat of probable people placed in possible circ.u.mstances, but regarded from a point of view which exaggerates their sentiments and magnifies their foibles. In this light it is permitted to this cla.s.s of play, not only to deal with ridiculous incongruities of incident and character, but to satirise society, and to wring laughter from those possible distresses of life which might trace their origin to fallacies of feeling and extravagances of motive.

"The Cabinet Minister" is the latest of Mr. Pinero's series of farces, and it may be regarded as the direct development of ideas which he began to put into practice when he wrote "The Magistrate." Since then these ideas have undergone a process of gradual evolution, which may be clearly traced through the successive productions of "The Schoolmistress," "Dandy d.i.c.k," and "The Cabinet Minister," in each of which it will be seen that the author has aimed less at the exposition of a plot than at the satirising of particular types of character in a possible social atmosphere.

"The Cabinet Minister" was written early in 1889, and produced by Mrs.

John Wood and Mr. Arthur Chudleigh at the Court Theatre, on April 23, 1890.

The following is a copy of the Programme:--

ROYAL COURT THEATRE.

UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF MRS. JOHN WOOD.

ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23rd,

At 8 o'clock,

WILL BE ACTED FOR THE FIRST TIME

AN ORIGINAL FARCE IN FOUR ACTS, CALLED

THE CABINET MINISTER,

BY

A. W. PINERO.

EARL OF DRUMDURRIS (in the Guards) Mr. RICHARD SAUNDERS.

VISCOUNT ABERBROTHOCK (his Son) * * * *

RIGHT HON. SIR JULIAN TWOMBLEY, G.C.M.G., M.P.

(Secretary of State for the ---- Department) Mr. ARTHUR CECIL.

BROOKE TWOMBLEY (his Son) Mr. E. ALLAN AYNESWORTH.

MACPHAIL OF BALLOCHEEVIN Mr. BRANDON THOMAS.

MR. JOSEPH LEBANON Mr. WEEDON GROSSMITH.

VALENTINE WHITE (Lady Twombley's Nephew) Mr. HERBERT WARING.

MR. MITFORD[A]

(Sir Julian's Private Secretary) Mr. FRANK FARREN.

THE MUNKITTRICK Mr. JOHN CLULOW.

PROBYN (A Servant) Mr. ERNEST PATON.

DOWAGER COUNTESS OF DRUMDURRIS Miss R. G. LE THIeRE.

LADY EUPHEMIA VIBART (her Daughter) Miss ISABEL ELLISSEN.

COUNTESS OF DRUMDURRIS Miss EVA MOORE.

LADY TWOMBLEY Mrs. JOHN WOOD.

IMOGEN (her Daughter) Miss FLORENCE TANNER.

LADY MACPHAIL Mrs. EDMUND PHELPS.

HON. MRS. GAYl.u.s.tRE (a Young Widow trading as Mauricette et Cie., 17A, Plunkett Street, Mayfair) Miss ROSINA FILIPPI.

ANGeLE Miss MARIANNE CALDWELL.

MISS MUNKITTRICK Miss FLORENCE HARRINGTON.

[A] _Subsequently changed to_ MELTON.

ACT I.

DEBT.

_At_ Sir JULIAN TWOMBLEY'S, _Chesterfield Gardens. May._

ACT II.

DIFFICULTIES.

_At_ Sir JULIAN'S _again. July._

ACT III.

DISASTER.