The Magistrate

The Magistrate [1] is an 1885 farce by English playwright Arthur Wing Pinero (1855–1934) [2]. A respectable English Magistrate gets caught up in a series of scandalous events that almost cause his disgrace.

The original text

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1886: First produced in South Africa by Madame Pearmain and her company as part of a short season of eleven plays put in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, from 22 November onwards and featuring W.H. Thorne as the "Posket".

1892-3: Performed as part of the repertoire of the Emily Bevan Comedy Company at the Vaudeville Theatre, Cape Town.

19**: Lionel B. Stent appeared in a production of this play during the early years of the twentieth century in Pretoria.

1969: Staged by PACT at the Alexander Theatre, directed by Roy Sargeant, featuring Anthony James (Mr Posket), Kerry Jordan (Mr Bullamy), John Hayter (Col. Lukyn), Angus Neill (Capt. Horace Vale), John Rogers (Cis Farringdon), Don McCorkindale (Achille Blond), David Goatham (Isidore), Siegfried Mynhardt (Mr Wormington), Michael Drin (Insp. Messiter), Dale Cutts (Sgt. Lugg), George Jackson (Const. Harris), Peter Larlham (Wyke), Valerie Miller (Agatha Posket), Erica Rogers (Charlotte), Lynne White (Beatie Tomlinson) and Maryann Johnston (Popham). Decor by Ken Calder and costumes by Aubrey Couling.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magistrate_%28play%29

World Drama by Allardyce Nicoll, 1949.

D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1932. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.383, 395

PACT theatre programme, 1969.

Petru & Carel Trichardt theatre programme collection.

Go to ESAT Bibliography