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Overview
Synopsis
London magistrate Aeneas Posket is as predictable and dependable as they come. He is good-natured, and something of a pushover--evidenced by his servants hired from the Mulberry Street Police Court. He is also recently married to Agatha, a widow with a teenage son. However, Agatha has been hiding her real age from her husband, and convincing everyone that her boy Cis is only 14, when he is really 19 years old--and (unbeknownst to her) drinking, smoking, gambling, and chasing girls! Unexpectedly, a blast from the past returns to London--a friend who could reveal Agatha’s real age, prompting her to take action in order to keep her secret. At the same time, precocious Cis convinces his stepfather to have a night on the town--an experience the dull Mr. Posket has never had. But a police raid changes their fortunes, and Mr. Posket finds himself scrambling to hide his late night adventures so that he can preserve the integrity of his career. The Magistrate: A Farce in Three Acts was Arthur Wing Pinero’s first success, and often revived to resounding slapstick success.
Show Information
- Book
- Arthur Wing Pinero
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1885
- Genres
- Comedy, Farce, Satire
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- London, England, 1880s
- Cast Size
- large
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Ensemble Cast, High School, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Mature Adult, Adult, Late Teen, Young Adult Characters, Large Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
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Featured |
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Featured |
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Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Cindi Calhoun
Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress