Review: The Cabinet Minister (Menier Chocolate Factory)

Review by Daz Gale

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It’s been a big musical year for the always delightful Menier Chocolate Factory in London Bridge. Following their acclaimed revival of The Baker’s Wife and ahead of their eagerly anticipated major production of The Producers in November, they are reviving a classic play and giving it a new twist as Arthur Wing Pinero’s The Cabinet Minister sets up office there in a new adaptation by Nancy Carroll. Would this classic farce be able to create light relief centuries after it was first written?

Written by Arthur Wing Pinero in 1890, The Cabinet Minister sees Sir Julian Twombley in trouble after his wife and son run up massive debts, risking his reputation and political career. As different classes come together and new relationships are made, tested and broken, blackmail and betrayal play out as the Twombley’s attempt to find a way to save their name.

Nancy Carroll adapts Arthur Wing Pinero’s classic, having starred in his other play The Magistrate in 2012. Through great understanding of his writing, Carroll effortlessly updates his writing to modernise it somewhat while still keeping it in its distinct setting. This allows for the play to feel instantly accessible and even more relevant (who’d have thought cabinet ministers doing dodgy dealings would be so relatable in 2024?). Though I must admit it took me a while to settle in to the story, it was impossible to let me go once it grabbed me. Refreshingly silly, moments do descend into utter farce while others are more subtle. While nothing quite made me roar with laughter, the consistent humour throughout ensured I was always chuckling mildly or, at the very least, grinning away.

Carroll also stars as Lady Katherine Twombley, centering herself amongst the action with her fellow cast and delivering one of the standout performances. In The Cabinet Minister, understated performances are non-negotiable – the result is big and over-the-top portrayals that elevate the humour and make it such a captivating watch. Nicholas Rowe plays the titular cabinet minister as Sir Julian Twombley, Katherine’s husband who for the most part seems to take a back seat, allowing for the other characters to take the lead. His relatuvely straight portrayal of the role gives an odd couple approach and makes some of the contrasting dynamics all the more funny.

Other standouts amongst the talented cast are Phoebe Fildes as Miss Fanny Lacklustrem showcasing versatility in her differing character traits throughout, and Dillie Keane in a relatively small but incredibly memorable role as Lady Macphail, with her exaggerated nature and impeccable delivery of the lines always ensuring a laugh. While all actors deserve a mention in their own right with no weak link among the cast, the personal standout for me belongs to Laurence Ubong Williams for his big and bold portrayal of Bernard Lacklustre. Always changing the mood with his appearances, his performance was so captivating to witness at all times, there was never any danger of eyes being taken off of him.

Paul Foster’s direction takes the intimate and versatile space of the Menier Chocolate Factory and has two sides surrounding the stage, as the two different settings (more on that shortly) give plenty of opportunity for the relatively large cast to perform. With an eye for detail and never straying far from the humour, Foster ensures Pinero’s original writing and Carroll’s adaptation are given the necessary room to breathe, so that the humorous nature can shine through. While this isn’t a musical like the bookending productions at the Menier, music does play a big part in the show, prefacing each scene with the cast playing instruments and demonstrating an alarmingly large skill set.

One of the strongest elements in this production of The Cabinet Minister is in its exquisite and elaborate set design by Janet Bird. An elaborate recreation of the Twombleys’ conservatory greets the audience as you enter the theatre and is an exquisite set in itself. However, its miraculous transformation into the Inner Hall at Drumdurris Castle for act 2 takes it to a whole other level. Having stayed in the theatre during the interval, I watched in awe as a hard-working stage crew transformed the set completely in fine detail and expert precision. You don’t often see scene transitions of this scale in a venue such as the Menier and it was a delight to watch, impressing as much as the original design.

It may be more than 130 years old but The Cabinet Minister has found new relevance in 2024 thanks to this fantastic adaptation. A great cast and stunning direction ensures that this production is a breath of fresh air and a much-needed piece of joy in what has been a tumultuous year in the political climate. The perfect remedy as the nights get darker if you are looking for something to smile away to, in its short term at the Menier, The Cabinet Minister more than fits the bill.

The Cabinet Minister plays at the Menier Chocolate Factory until 16th November. Tickets from www.menierchocolatefactory.com

Photos by Tristram Kenton