The Apple Cart: A Political Extravaganza is a 1928 play by George Bernard Shaw. It is a satirical comedy about several political philosophies which are expounded by the characters, often in lengthy monologues. 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. Magnus opposes the corporation "Breakages, Limited", which controls politicians and impedes technical progress. Shaw's preface describes the play as: The play was completed in December 1928 and first performed in 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 modelled the enigmatic and pivotal character Orinthia, the King's mistress, on Mrs. Patrick Campbell, the actress who had created the role of Eliza Doolittle in Shaw's Pygmalion. The "Powermistress-General" is said by the biographers of Beatrice Webb to be modelled on Susan Lawrence, an old colleague of Shaw from the Fabian Society. Characters Sempronius The King's Private Secretary Pamphilius The King's Private Secretary Billy Boanerges President of the Board of Trade King MagnusOrinthia King's MistressAlice Princess RoyalJoe Proteus Prime MinisterPliny Chancellor of the ExchequerNicobar Foreign SecretaryCrassus Colonial SecretaryBalbus Home SecretaryAmanda Postelthwaite Postmistress GeneralLysistrata Powermistress GeneralVanhattan American AmbassadorQueen Jemima Productions There was a Coronation Year Production in 1953. It went on tour and starred Noël Coward as Magnus and Margaret Leyton as Orinthia. It was particularly memorable for Coward's performance. He could stand absolutely still and absolutely silent and still keep every eye in the audience on him. 1965 production directed by Peter Dews starring Marius Goring as King Magnus and Barbara Murray as Orinthia staged at the Cambridge Arts Theatre, the Opera House, Manchester, the New Wimbledon Theatre, Theatre Royal, Brighton and the Golders Green Hippodrome. 1985-1986 production directed by Val May starring Peter O'Toole as King Magnus, Susannah York as Orinthia and Marius Goring as Nicobar at the Theatre Royal, Bath and the Theatre Royal Haymarket. 2012 production in Slezské divadlo, Opava, the Czech Republic. Translated by Alžběta Matoušková. Directed by Roman Groszman. The play premiered on 11 November 2012 with Michal Stalmach (King Magnus), Drahomír Ožana (Joe Proteus), Pavel Rohan (Billy Boanerges), Kostas Zerdaloglu (Balbus), Martin Táborský (Plinius), Emanuel Křenek (Nicobar), Ivana Lebedová (Lysistrata), Hana Vaňková (Amanda Postelthwaite), Sabina Muchová (Queen Jemima), Šárka Vykydalová or Tereza