With Stephen Schwartz’s The Baker’s Wife currently running at the theatre, the Menier Chocolate Factory today announces programming for its forthcoming season, including the cast for Arthur Wing Pinero’s The Cabinet Minister, adapted by Nancy Carroll and playing 21 September – 16 November 2024.
Sir Julian Twombley is in trouble: his wife and son have run up massive debts and his political reputation is in the balance. The House of Commons is far from a safe space for him and the newspapers are sniffing blood. Can he save face and hang on to his sanity?
Arthur Wing Pinero’s breathless farce is given a new life in Nancy Carroll’s adaptation. A crack cast tackles this sparkling story of marriage, blackmail and class where all bets are off!
Arthur Wing Pinero (1855 – 1934) was an English playwright and actor. His many plays include Trelawny of the “Wells”, The Magistrate, Dandy Dick, Sweet Lavendar, The Second Mrs Tanqueray, The Magistrate and The Notorious Mrs Ebbsmith.
Nancy Carroll adapts and plays Lady Katherine Twombley. This sees her returns to the Menier following her performance in Marjorie Prime. George Blagden plays Valentine White. His theatre credits include Company (Gielgud Theatre), Tartuffe (Theatre Royal Haymarket), The Pitchfork Disney (Shoreditch Town Hall) and Platinum (Hampstead Theatre). Joe Edgar plays Brook Twombley. His theatre credits include Just For One Day (Old Vic Theatre) and Hitchhiker (Teastain Theatre).
Phoebe Fildes plays Miss Fanny Lacklustre. Her theatre credits include Assassins (Nottingham Playhouse and Watermill Theatre), The Mousetrap (St Martin’s Theatre), A Woman of No Importance (Vaudeville Theatre), A Little Night Music (Watermill Theatre), Peter Pan (National Theatre) and Once l (Phoenix Theatre). Rosalind Ford plays Imogen Twombley. Her theatre credits In Clay (Upstairs at the Gatehoue), Once (UK tour), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Southwark Playhouse), Just So (Barn Theatre), These Trees Are Made of Blood (Arcola Theatre), The Drowsy Chaperone (Edinburgh Festival Fringe) and Mother Courage (Southwark Playhouse). Dom Hodson plays Keith, Lord Drumdurris. His theatre credits include Bleak Expectations (Criterion Theatre and Watermill Theatre), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Aldwych Theatre), War Horse (Gillian Lynne Theatre), West Side Story (UK Tour) and Words and Music (Sadler’s Wells). Television credits include Life After Life; and for film, Matilda. Dillie Keane plays Lady Macphail. Her theatre credits include A Little Night Music (Watermill Theatre), Dillie Keane Solo Tour (UK Tour), Cowardy Custard (Richmond Theatre), My Brilliant Divorce (UK tour) and The Importance of Being Earnest (Ireland tour).
Known for playing Young Sherlock Holmes, Nicholas Rowe plays Right Hon Sir Julian Twombley. Laurence Ubong Williams plays Mr Bernard Lacklustre and Mr Melting. He returns to the Menier following his appearance in The Watsons. Romaya Weaver is a recent graduate from Guildhall School of Music and Drama and makes her professional stage debut as Lady Effie Vibart. Matthew Woodyatt plays Sir Colin Macphail of Ballocheevin. His theatre credits include A Song of Songs (Park Theatre), The Fair Maid of the West (RSC), Moving Stories (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, Shakespeare’s Globe), Berlusconi (Southwark Playhouse), Piaf (Nottingham Playhouse and Leeds Playhouse), Moving Stories (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Fiddler on the Roof (Chichester Festival Theatre), One Man, Two Guvnors (UK tour).
