, 1873-03-30
LONDON.
Three Cabinet Ministers Bur-
lesqued on the Stage.
G!adstone's lrritabiii+y --~ Gossip
About Disraeli.
Scandal About Members Of the
Royal Family.

Royal Family.
From Our Our. Correspondent.
LONDON, March q, 1873.
THREE CABISET-MIS1sTEnS on THE STAGE.
Theatre-goerB in London are usually Consorva-
tiyca. Modern politics are rarely introduced on
the stage, but history is employed in tho Tory
ecrvice and King Charles il Z martyr in the eyes
Of the stalls and the boxes. To-day re hayo
| sudden irruption OF tho politics OF the hour,
and the Tory organizers, who have started cheap
sheets over the country, have got ont bur
lesque upe,. Cabinet Ministers, and are every
! night u1imicking statesmen in Office through the
means Of buffoons "made up f" for the purpose,
The theatre chosen is pretty little house at the
Vest End, called appropriately tho Court Thea
trc," and the play which is the medium is bur-
lesaue Of burleaque. The Gilbert n'Deckett
OF 1873 is very unlike his father, tie Police
Magistrate, who wrote in Punch, and who was
genuine Liberal The son once edited
Tomahatrk, and las since been raised up with
the Conservative press. He has not been partic-
u1arly fortunate in lfe and unfortunate literary
Liberals haye knack, I have observed, Of find
ing their way to Tory Offices. The leading arti-
cles In tho Standard, at tho present moment, IRE
writton by renegade Radicals. Nr. a'Deckott
takes for his model " Tho Wicked Wo1!a," By Mr..
Gilbert, now being performed at tho Haymnrket
Theatre, and he calls his production ' The Hap
py Land" The satire in the former il Of the 30
cia1 kind whereas that Of tho newer one is eololy
politcal,-being pointedly, unreservedly, and
continuously directed against the recent measures
OF the present Government. Three actorB arc
dressed to represent respect. ely, Mr.. Gladstone.
Mr.. Lowe, and aIr. Ayrton. In the first, arc
tho strongly marked lines Of Mr.. Gladstone's
face, arranged as perfectly tho dressor'a art
will allow in another, the white hair, eyebrows,
and eyelashcs OF Mr.. Lowe and the third shows
the round, seH-satisfed features of Mr.. Ayrton.
sit is nothing" says one dramatic critic. speak
ing Of the piece. " less tkan pillory. :.
There is no limit to tho daring Of the satire.
There is no attempt to disguise the intention OF
the satirist. There is Mr.. Gladstone, lmned,
and marked, and dreBscd to t;ta life There is
Mr. Love- living caricature. There is Mr.
Ayrton, chat1ed almost to the extent OF cruelty.
Tho audience, eager for scandal and hungry for
a laugh, accepts the fun without thinking Of its
consequences" and i. . 81 ridiculous
song, in which the three Ministers ex-
plain their personal peculia-ities, adds
excitement to the scene. Tho
moro the audience applauds the moro e1trava-
CANT the actors become; and the general feeling
appears to be, now that the first difficulty is
over, that anything may be said or dore.' Lest
single sally should be missed, the caricatu1es
are on the stage to make the hit uamistakable.
Arbitration, economy, tho deserted site Of the
Law Courts, the Parks Regulation bill, the Ii
ceusing act,-all these, and T. hundred other
sinailnr points," are hurled to and fro with an
abandon Is daring as that OF Tenniel at his Wild
est moments. The three Ministers perform
break-downs in 80 ludicrous fashion that
everybody roars. You must understand
that tho trio are summoned to the land Of
the fairies to teach the mysteries Of Constitu-
tionL Government. They divide Fai1yyaud into
two orders, Ministry aud Opposition, and
elect Cabinet by competitive examination, the
various Offices being given, in ench caae, to the
most incompetent person. THUS, one of them
having iunocent1y asked, "What is o ship?" is,
on tllnt very account, and without minute :
hesitation made Chief Lord OF the Admiralty !;
| another, having promised to put up with nation
! Kingdom, und to refuse absolutely to reign,
| though the public voice demands it, is mado
First Lord ot the Treasury; another. who con-
fesses that "a Twice two three or Eve, accord
ing to circumstances, receives tho Co1lectorship
of the Exchequsr; and yet another, as soon as
he VOWS to be arrogant and lnsolcnt, accepts
theportfo1io Of the First Commissioner of Works.
It is an odd sight, truly enough that OF the Chan
ho is covered With flowers and caresses by a
beyy OF fairy danse]s, and to note the Primo
Minister joining the most unpopular OF his sub
o1ll:ntes in can-cazl. Undortl:e tutelago ofmor
Cloudlend into disaster. Rebcllious meet
ings are held; weak laws are openly act at
defiance ard q system of petty economy and
pusilIAninity earns only contempt.
On the occasion Of the first production Of the
piece, the Prince Of Wales and tho Duke Of Ed
fnburgh were present. and both laughed heartily
at the hits at Popular Government. aud cheered
the actors. Triiles show the direction et the
current, and the ychemeu. applause which this
attack upon Democracy e.c;tes, indicates the cur
rent the feeling in tile ruling sets but if
Chamberlain does not Interfere and stop the piece
there will, no doubt, be counter-demol1s:retions
The press comments upon the innovation i'll en-
undecided tone, tho balance of opinion. how
ever being, that the stage ought to be as free ns
the newspapers.
aIR. GLADSTONE
lays himself open to caElcaturo IN manner
which his friends must sincerely deplore- IN
the House Of Commons, two nights ago, he was
beside hiEntGlf with rage, ard OIL some trumpery
mattor. To the :urprise Of everybody, be turned
u5on faithful supporter OF bis Administration,
and demanded Ut him categorical replies, there
and then, to one question after another. Il 10
nainf.1l to those who ad.:-'- the man to see him
in these passionate fits 10 beats tho table;
his voice is shrin With excitement, and the
whole body is Affected. He is doubtless IS
fate of his Irish Univerajt: schene; brit, could
io take things calmly, ho would be the stronger
and would scarcely be forcel into srsh obser-
yat,ous as that whic:4 fell from him yesterday.
ACTIVITY" he said, is tanpiness, or great
constituent Q: happiness hit l may say that
defoct, but will say ooe objection, and that is,
il is somewhat in >@cess wi:h reference to the
mental and ph. sit Il Strength Of the human
organization. I am well contented with the past
but whenever tho hour Of dissolutlon-1 do not
mean the dissolution Of Parliamentary tho
dissolution affecting the Government, it will find
me, and I think can venture to speak for my
colleagues, it will find us no unwilling victims
question if, in this particular, Mr. Gladstone
eau .'Bpeak for his colleagues Gentlemen
like Mr. Stan3fed, for example, will cling to
cflice al long az there is penny to DO got out
of it.
NE. DlSRAELI.
being an exceptional mau in the yarions steps OF
his career, has supplied perpetual them" to