The Magistrate

by Arthur Wing Pinero

directed by Gregory Hersov
from 13 Dec to 27 Jan

The respectable life of an upstanding magistrate crumbles into hilarious disarray in this fast moving farce. A perfect Christmas treat for all ages.

Aeneas Posket, Magistrate of Mulberry Street Police Court, is a fine, upstanding pillar of society. But this pillar is about to crumble. His second wife is passing off her nineteen-year-old son as fourteen, and this stepson is addicted to gambling and late night drinking dens. The whole Posket family and their eccentric relatives, guileless friends and scheming servants slip deeper and deeper into the mire of compromise and confusion. Respectability turns to desperation; restraint and decorum give way to abandoned lunacy. No one is quite innocent - but who will end up in the dock? A pioneering figure of the late Victorian and Edwardian stage, Pinero is best known for his farces. Superbly constructed and richly entertaining, their enduring appeal is testament to his brilliant eye for human absurdity and his sheer stagecraft. The Magistrate is now recognised as one of the foundation stones of British comedy. An extravagant poke in the ribs of respectability, it promises to be a fitting festive treat for all ages.

CASTING

MR POSKET RICHARD O’CALLAGHAN

COLONEL LUKYN RUSSELL DIXON

MR BULLAMY GORDON LANGFORD-ROWE

CAPTAIN HORACE VALE SIMON TREVES

CIS FARRINGDON DOMINIC HECHT

ACHILLE BLOND & SERGEANT LUGG JOHN BRANWELL

ISIDORE GABRIEL SWARTLAND

MR WORMINGTON & INSPECTOR MESSITER WILL TACEY

CONSTABLE HARRIS IAN WARING

WYKE JOHN AXON

AGATHA POSKET HELEN ATKINSON WOOD

CHARLOTTE HILARY TONES

BEATIE TOMLINSON GEMMA PAGE

POPHAM ORLA COTTINGHAM

Director Greg Hersov

Designer Rob Jones

Lighting Kevin Sleep

Sound Steve Brown

Company Manager Louise Tischler

Stage Manager Katie Vine

Deputy Stage Manager Lisa Williams

Assistant Stage Manager Claire Casburn