Debt, Corruption and Comedy in the 1890s
“It was ten years before I found a nose that wasn’t turned up!”
Lady Twombley
This period piece by Arthur Wing Pinero has been adapted by Nancy Carroll, who also takes the lead as Lady Katherine Twombley. We are reminded that Lady Twombley came from fairly humble surroundings as a farmer’s daughter before being elevated to high society as the wife of a Cabinet minister, Sir Julian Twombley (Nicholas Rowe). They both are in debt and are launching their daughter Imogen (Rosalind Ford) as a debutante with the introduction to the Queen.
Lady Twombley’s creditor, seamstress and fashion designer Mrs Lacklustre (Phoebe Fildes) has designs on getting into the upper echelons of society for both herself and her odious money-lending brother, Mr Bernard Lacklustre (Laurence Ubong Williams). Meanwhile the Twombleys are looking for good marriages for their daughter Imogen and their son Brooke Twombley (Joe Edgar).
Enter Julian Twombley’s widowed sister Dora, Dowager Countess of Drumdurris (Sara Crowe) with a marriage prospect for Imogen: Sir Colin MacPhail (Matthew Woodyatt). Sir Colin appears in Highland Dress with his hysterically funny mother Lady MacPhail (Dillie Keane). Dillie Keane in a meticulous Scottish accent promotes her nondescript son with immaculately pronounced places like Ecclefechan and Auchtermuchty, directing everyone with a raised cane.
After the season in London with a super set by Janet Bird of the Twombley’s Conservatory with black and white tiled floor, swagged drapes and piano, they decamp to Drumdurris Castle. Every woman is beautifully dressed in Victorian silks with bustles and, while her voice betrays her origins, Mrs Lacklustre’s dresses are really elegant. The Scottish castle set, after the interval, is a more dour setting with pretty candelabra replaced by those rustic wooden wheels holding functional lights. Sensational draped tartan will drop and rise. Sir Colin has two kilts but in England, exhibits how uncomfortable he is when wearing Southern trousers by tugging at his crotch! He is a man of few words but we can count on his mother to tell us what she thinks he is feeling.
The Lacklustres have got themselves invited by blackmailing Kitty Twombley and have even darker motives. Lacklustre wants to discover how the Parliamentary vote might go on the building of a new canal in order to speculate on the Stock Exchange. Imogen has a childhood friend Valentine White (George Blagden) who tours the world exploring different cultures and religions.
Paul Foster directs with great clarity this complicated exposition of characters and motivation and I suspect, at least some of the many enjoyably witty lines, are down to Nancy Carroll’s loving adaptation rather than Arthur Wing Pinero’s original. The performances are tip top and many of them are actor musicians adding sound atmosphere.
Is the Pinero out of date? Isn’t it remarkable when today we have a scandal of 21st century politicians accepting designer clothes to see the Twombley of the 1890s in a similar predicament?
Production Notes
The Cabinet Minister
Written by Arthur Wing Pinero
Adapted by Nancy Carroll
Directed by Paul Foster
Cast
Starring:
George Blagden
Nancy Carroll
Sara Crowe
Phoebe Fildes
Joe Edgar
Rosalind Ford
Dom Hodson
Dillie Keane
Laurence Ubong Williams
Nicholas Rowe
Romaya Weaver
Matthew Woodyatt
Creatives
Director: Paul Foster
Designer: Janet Bird
Musical Supervisor and Composer: Sarah Travis
Lighting Designer: Oliver Fenwick
Sound Designer: George Dennis
Movement: Joanna Goodwin
Information
Running Time: Two hours 30 minutes with an interval
Booking until 16th November 2024
Theatre:
Menier Chocolate Factory
4 O’Meara Street
London SE1 1TE
020 7378 1713
Tube: London Bridge
Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge
at the Chocolate Factory
at the matinée on 28th September 2024