THE MAGISTRATE
THE PLAYS OF ARTHUR W. PINERO
Paper cover, 1s 6d; cloth, 2s 6d each
THE TIMES
THE PROFLIGATE
THE CABINET MINISTER
THE HOBBY-HORSE
LADY BOUNTIFUL
THE MAGISTRATE
DANDY DICK
SWEET LAVENDER
THE SCHOOLMISTRESS
THE WEAKER SEX
THE AMAZONS
*THE SECOND MRS. TANQUERAY
THE NOTORIOUS MRS. EBBSMITH
THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT
THE PRINCESS AND THE BUTTERFLY
TRELAWNY OF THE "WELLS"
+THE GAY LORD QUEX
IRIS
LETTY
A WIFE WITHOUT A SMILE
HIS HOUSE IN ORDER
THE THUNDERBOLT
MID-CHANNEL
PRESERVING MR. PANMURE
THE "MIND THE PAINT" GIRL
* This Play can be had in library form, 4to, cloth,
with a portrait, 5s.
+ A Limited Edition of this play on hand-made
paper, with a new portrait, 10s net.
THE PINERO BIRTHDAY BOOK
SELECTED AND ARRANGED BY MYRA HAMILTON
With a Portrait, cloth extra, price 2s 6d.
_LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN_
THE MAGISTRATE
A FARCE
In Three Acts
_BY ARTHUR W. PINERO_
LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN
_First Impression_ 1892;
_New Impressions_ 1894,
1895, 1897, 1899, 1901,
1903, 1905, 1907, 1909,
1911; 1914
Copyright
All rights reserved
Entered at Stationers' Hall
Entered at the Library of Congress
Washington, U.S.A.
INTRODUCTORY NOTE.
"THE MAGISTRATE" is, after "Sweet Lavender," perhaps the most popular
of Mr. Pinero's plays, and it is particularly interesting as being the
first of his works in which his own individuality found absolutely
independent expression, and emphatically and triumphantly asserted
itself. In fact, this farce marks an epoch in the dramatist's career,
and shows him creating a really new and original order of English
comic play, the further development of which may be traced in the
successive plays which, together with "The Magistrate," formed the
famous Court series of farces, namely, "The Schoolmistress," "Dandy
Dick," and "The Cabinet Minister."
Because Mr. Pinero had previously written "The Rocket," and "In
Chancery," for Mr. Edward Terry, who has performed them times out of
number in London and the provinces with considerable success, it has
been assumed that "The Magistrate" was also written for Mr. Terry. But
this was not the case. As a matter of fact Mr. Pinero wrote the play
quite independently, and on its completion he was to have read it to
Mr. Charles Wyndham, but the necessities of the Court Theatre
intervened. The management of the late Mr. John Clayton and Arthur
Cecil was decidedly in low water in 1884 and the earlier part of 1885;
play after play had been produced without success, when at length
application was made to Mr. Pinero for a new piece. They had been
performing serious plays, and he read them "The Weaker Sex," which he
had written some little time before; but Mr. Clayton felt uncertain
about this play, which, by the way, Mr. and Mrs. Kendal have since
produced, and then Mr. Pinero, mentioning the new comic play he had
just finished, suggested that perhaps an entirely new order of
entertainment might serve to change the fortunes of the house. "The
Magistrate" was immediately accepted and produced, and his conjecture
proved correct, for the luck of the theatre promptly turned.
"The Magistrate" was produced at the Court Theatre on Saturday, March
21, 1885, with a cast, particulars of which will be found in the
following copy of the first night programme:--
ROYAL COURT THEATRE,
SLOANE SQUARE, S.W.
_Lessees and Managers:_
Mr. John Clayton and Mr. Arthur Cecil.
THIS EVENING, SATURDAY, MARCH 21,
_At a Quarter to Nine o'clock,_
WILL BE PRODUCED FOR THE FIRST TIME,
THE MAGISTRATE,
AN ORIGINAL FARCE, IN THREE ACTS,
BY
A. W. PINERO.
MR. POSKET } Magistrates of the Mulberry { Mr. ARTHUR CECIL.
MR. BULLAMY } Street Police Court { Mr. FRED CAPE.
COLONEL LUKYN (from Bengal--retired) Mr. JOHN CLAYTON.
CAPTAIN HORACE VALE (Shropshire Fusiliers) Mr. F. KERR.
CIS FARRINGDON (Mrs. Posket's son, by her
first marriage) Mr. H. EVERSFIELD.
ACHILLE BLOND (Proprietor of the Hôtel
des Princes) Mr. CHEVALIER.
ISIDORE (a Waiter) Mr. DELANE.
MR. WORMINGTON (Chief Clerk at Mulberry
Street) Mr. GILBERT TRENT.
INSPECTOR MESSITER } { Mr. ALBERT SIMS.
SERJEANT LUGG } Metropolitan Police { Mr. LUGG.
CONSTABLE HARRIS } { Mr. BURNLEY.
WYKE (Servant at Mr. Posket's) Mr. FAYRE.
____________
AGATHA POSKET (late Farringdon, _née_
Verrinder) Mrs. JOHN WOOD.
CHARLOTTE (her Sister) Miss MARION TERRY.
BEATIE TOMLINSON (a Young Lady reduced
to teaching music) Miss NORREYS.
POPHAM Miss LA COSTE.
ACT I.
THE FAMILY SKELETON.
_At Mr. Posket's, Bloomsbury._
____________