Musical Director . MR. CARL ARMBRUSTER.
Secretary . MR. GEORGE COLEMAN.
The success of “The Magistrate” was immediate, and the Court Theatre was crowded night after night for more than a year, the play being presented over 300 times. So prosperous was the run that there was no cessation during the Summer holiday season, and when Mr. Arthur Cecil went abroad for his vacation, his place as Posket was taken by Mr. Beerbohm Tree, while Miss Lottie Venne and Mrs. Tree in like manner relieved Mrs. John Wood and Miss Marion Terry.
This success, however, was not confined to London, for three companies were soon carrying the play triumphantly over the English provinces, while in September 1885 Mr. Pinero went to New York to produce his work at Daly’s Theatre. Mr. Daly had suggested that Miss Ada Rehan should play the boy, Cis Farringdon, but to this the author objected, and Miss Rehan played Mrs. Posket, while Mr. Posket was represented by Mr. James Lewis, and Colonel Lukyn by Mr. John Drew. “The Magistrate” enjoyed an exceptionally long run in New York, as well as in Boston, and in the latter city it is now performed every year, being included in the regular season of classic English comedies at the Boston Museum. “The Magistrate” has also been played throughout the United States, the late John T. Raymond having been closely associated with the play for a considerable time.
“The Magistrate” has travelled more widely than most modern English plays, and, besides being a stock piece in Australia, India, and South Africa, it has been translated into more than one foreign tongue. Under the title “Der Blaue Grotte” (“The Blue Grotto”) it is constantly played all over Germany and Austria, while in the Slavonic language it is a favourite play at the National Theatre, Prague. At one time a proposal was made, through the late Mr. John Clayton, that “The Magistrate” should be adapted to the French stage, but the suggestions of the proposed Parisian adapter were, though eminently characteristic, of such a nature that Mr. Pinero did not feel justified in acceding to them.
While Mrs. John Wood and Mr. Arthur Chudleigh were still joint managers of the Court, there was some intention of reviving “The Magistrate” at that theatre, but as matters afterwards developed, Mr. Pinero arranged that the revival should take place under the auspices of Mr. Edward Terry, who accordingly appeared as Mr. Posket at his own theatre on Wednesday, April 13, 1892.
Malcolm C. Salaman.
THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY
| Mr. Posket (Magistrate of the Mulberry Street Police Court) | ||
| Agatha Posket | ||
| Cis Farringdon (her Son) | ||
| Charlotte Verrinder (her Sister) | ||
| Colonel Lukyn | ||
| Captain Horace Vale | ||
| Beatie Tomlinson | ||
| Mr. Bullamy (Magistrate of the Mulberry Street Police Court) | ||
| Achille Blond | ||
| Isidore | ||
| Mr. Wormington | ||
| Inspector Messiter Serjeant Lugg Constable Harris | } | (Metropolitan Police) |
| Wyke | ||
| Popham | ||