in the mercenary female lead role Marion Terry, who in Dan'l Druce had played a sentimental part. He also wrote a scene for the new play that appeared to parody one in its predecessor. A passage from Engaged, a speech by the central character, Cheviot Hill, reflects a Gilbertian notion of marriage: Once he was in a position to do so, Gilbert directed productions of his own works. In a note to his cast, reproduced in the published text, he set out the manner in which the play should be performed: First productions Engaged was first presented at the Haymarket Theatre in London on 3 October 1877. It starred George Honey, Kyrle Bellew, Marion Terry, Lucy Buckstone and Julia Stewart. It ran for about 110 performances, until 1 February 1878, when the company's lease on the theatre expired. A provincial tour, led by Honey, with different co-stars, began on 21 February. At the end of the tour the company returned to London and played at the Strand Theatre throughout July and August 1878. In February 1879 the first American production opened at the Park Theatre, New York, with the comic actor James Lewis as Cheviot and Agnes Booth as Belinda. Productions quickly followed in Philadelphia and Baltimore, earning thousands of dollars in royalties for the author. Productions in Australia and New Zealand followed in the same year. There were two London revivals in the 1880s: at the Royal Court Theatre opening on 30 November 1881, with H. J. Byron in the lead role, and at the Haymarket from 17 February 1886 starring Herbert Beerbohm Tree. Roles and early London casts The casts for the first production and the two 1880s revivals were: Source: The Theatre. Synopsis Act I In the garden of a humble but picturesque cottage, near Gretna, on the border between Scotland and England, Angus Macalister is courting Maggie Macfarlane. Angus makes his living by sabotaging railway lines and selling refreshments and accommodation to passengers from the trains thereby derailed. Two of his victims appear: an eloping couple, Belinda Treherne and Belvawney, who are fleeing from Major McGillicuddy, her previous fiancé. Belvawney's income – £1,000 a year – depends on a single source. His friend Cheviot Hill persistently proposes to every young woman he meets, and Belvawney is paid by Cheviot's father to thwart all such proposals. If he fails, and Cheviot marries (or dies), the £1,000 a