"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:--
_Lessees and Managers:_ Mr. John Clayton and Mr. Arthur Cecil.
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._ ____________
ACT II. IT LEAVES ITS CUPBOARD. _Room in the Hôtel des Princes, Meek Street._ ____________
ACT III. IT CRUMBLES. SCENE 1.--_The Magistrates Room, Mulberry Street._ SCENE 2.--_At the Poskets' again._ ____________
PRECEDED BY A COMEDIETTA BY A. W. DUBOURG, ENTITLED TWENTY MINUTES UNDER AN UMBRELLA.
Cousin Kate . . . Miss NORREYS. Cousin Frank . . . Mr. H. REEVES SMITH. ____________
_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.