The Cabinet Minister
12 October 2024
Menier Chocolate Factory
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
The Cabinet Minister, currently running at the Menier Chocolate Factory, is a comedic farce from 1890 revolving around Sir Julian Twombley, the titular cabinet minister, and his family falling from grace through political rumours and frivolous spending.
Lady Twombley, born a humble farmer’s daughter and having worked her way up in the high society of London after marrying a prominent political figure, lives way beyond her means to keep up appearances and fit in with the upper crust. Getting entangled with a money lender who has eyes on rising in the ranks himself, desperate to marry off her daughter to a rich man before the inevitable fall from grace, and struggling with her also frivolously spending son, she’s struggling to keep afloat of all her problems while negotiating a sea of manipulators with motives of their own. Or should I say motifs?
This new production is a burst of hilarity, with impeccable comedic timing, slap stick moments, ridiculous rich people things, and pricelessly overdrawn caricatures of posh people, it’s a laugh a minute farce that barely gives the audience time to breathe between giggles and guffaws. Extremely cleverly interwoven fates collide repeatedly in this intricately staged comedy, a Python-esque period drama with much pomp and ceremony.
The gorgeous costuming is the cherry on the top, with froufrou gowns galore, it’s a feast for the eyes. Beautifully acted and full of wordplay, this is a production not to be missed. But hurry up, performances are selling out quickly.
