The Apple Cart
Encyclopedia
The Apple Cart: A Political Extravaganza is a 1928 play by George Bernard Shaw
. It is satirical
comedy
about several political philosophies
which are expounded by the characters, often in lengthy monologue
. The plot follows the fictional English King
Magnus as he spars with, and ultimately outwits, Prime Minister
Proteus and his cabinet
, who seek to strip the monarchy of its remaining political influence. Shaw's preface
describes the play as:
The play was completed in December 1928 and first performed at Warsaw
(in Polish
) the following June. Its English première was at the first Malvern Drama Festival in August 1929.
Shaw based King Magnus largely on himself. He modeled enigmatic and pivotal character Orinthia, the King's mistress
, on Mrs Patrick Campbell
, the actor who had created the role of Eliza Dolittle in Shaw's Pygmalion
.
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
. It is satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
about several political philosophies
Political philosophy
Political philosophy is the study of such topics as liberty, justice, property, rights, law, and the enforcement of a legal code by authority: what they are, why they are needed, what, if anything, makes a government legitimate, what rights and freedoms it should protect and why, what form it...
which are expounded by the characters, often in lengthy monologue
Monologue
In theatre, a monologue is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience. Monologues are common across the range of dramatic media...
. The plot follows the fictional English King
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
Magnus as he spars with, and ultimately outwits, Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Proteus and his cabinet
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
, who seek to strip the monarchy of its remaining political influence. Shaw's preface
Preface
A preface is an introduction to a book or other literary work written by the work's author. An introductory essay written by a different person is a foreword and precedes an author's preface...
describes the play as:
The play was completed in December 1928 and first performed at Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
(in Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
) the following June. Its English première was at the first Malvern Drama Festival in August 1929.
Shaw based King Magnus largely on himself. He modeled enigmatic and pivotal character Orinthia, the King's mistress
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
, on Mrs Patrick Campbell
Mrs Patrick Campbell
Mrs Patrick Campbell was a British stage actress.-Early life and marriages:Campbell was born Beatrice Stella Tanner in Kensington, London, to John Tanner and Maria Luigia Giovanna, daughter of Count Angelo Romanini...
, the actor who had created the role of Eliza Dolittle in Shaw's Pygmalion
Pygmalion (play)
Pygmalion: A Romance in Five Acts is a play by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw. Professor of phonetics Henry Higgins makes a bet that he can train a bedraggled Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, to pass for a duchess at an ambassador's garden party by teaching her to assume a veneer of...
.
Characters
- SemproniusSemproniusSempronius may refer to:* Sempronius, a character in the play The Apple Cart* Sempronius, the nomen of the Roman gens Sempronia* Sempronius, New York* Sempronius, Texas* Sempronius Stretton, a British Army officer and artist...
The King's Private Secretary - Pamphilius The King's Private Secretary
- Billy Boanerges President of the Board of Trade
- King Magnus
- Orinthia King's Mistress
- Alice Princess Royal
- Joe ProteusProteusIn Greek mythology, Proteus is an early sea-god, one of several deities whom Homer calls the "Old Man of the Sea", whose name suggests the "first" , as protogonos is the "primordial" or the "firstborn". He became the son of Poseidon in the Olympian theogony In Greek mythology, Proteus (Πρωτεύς)...
Prime Minister - PlinyPliny- Persons :* Pliny the Elder , ancient Roman nobleman, scientist and historian, author of Naturalis Historia, "Pliny's Natural History"...
Chancellor of the Exchequer - NicobarNicobarNicobar can refer to:* Nicobar Islands**Car Nicobar**Great Nicobar Island**Little Nicobar* Nicobar district-Animals:*Nicobar Shrew*Nicobar Treeshrew*Nicobar long-tailed macaque*Nicobar Flying Fox* Nicobar Pigeon* Nicobar Megapode...
Foreign Secretary - Crassus Colonial Secretary
- BalbusBalbusBalbus, literally "stammerer", was a cognomen of several ancient Roman gentes.Of the Acilii Balbi, one Manius Acilius Balbus was consul in 150 BC, another in 114. To another family belonged T. Ampius Balbus, a supporter of Pompey, but afterwards pardoned by Julius Caesar . We know also of Q...
Home Secretary - Amanda Postelthwaite Postmistress General
- LysistrataLysistrataLysistrata is one of eleven surviving plays written by Aristophanes. Originally performed in classical Athens in 411 BC, it is a comic account of one woman's extraordinary mission to end The Peloponnesian War...
Powermistress General - Vanhattan American Ambassador
- Queen Jemima
Text
- gutenberg.net.au Full text of the play, including a preface and articles relating to the play.