September 19, 2007
Alan Ayckbourn’s libretto encompasses plot lines from the tales of ‘Jeeves and Wooster’ by P G Wodehouse and is set to 1920’s period music composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber in this decidedly dizzy musical. Julie Godfrey’s ornate wood panelled Church Hall set extends to the auditorium as the audience waits for a fund-raising concert to begin. The brilliant on-stage band show concern when soloist Bertram Wooster’s banjo strings break. The night is saved by manservant Jeeves’ suggestion that perhaps an anecdote is in order as both Jeeves and Bertie tie together the exciting production numbers with a narrative. The measured, genteel charm of popular actor Jeffrey Holland gives us a Jeeves who effortlessly guides the audience through this exhausting storyline. Do not let this lull you into a false sense of security as the pace of the plot flows thick and fast using all the best devices of English theatre.
The farcical device of mistaken identity is pursued as Gussie and Bertie switch names at the drop of a straw boater to suit whichever scrape they wish to escape. The schadenfreude of unrequited love is personified by Bingo (Jon Trenchard) as he earnestly pursues ‘jolly hockey sticks’ blue stocking Honoria (Laura Checkley) quite literarily in a charity walk. After folding and accepting a lift in Bertie’s car (assembled out of whatever props can be found in this Church Hall) Bingo is forced to hide in the boot as Honoria bites at his heels and is about to rumble him cheating. There is slapstick as Bertie struggles up and down a ladder trying to break an entrance into ‘Totleigh Towers’ to steal some swag. This is part of a plan Harold ‘Stinker’ Pinker and ‘Stiffy’ have hatched so they can pursue their forbidden love. ‘Stiffy’ turns on her heels so dreamily in ‘Half a Moment’ it is easy to see why ‘Stinker’ is quite bedazzled. Madeleine Joseph’s ‘Stiffy’ Byng is a masterclass in musical theatre as each gesture is larger than life as her character inspires loyalty in Bertie in the laugh out loud number ‘Love’s Maze’. Nick Watson’s hilarious choreography ends with a full Morris Dance pageant complete with a May Pole dance and is worth the ticket price alone. The movement gloriously captures the essence of the 1920’s particularly in some lovely trios performed by the male leads. A hint of pantomime enters stage left in the form of pent up American Cyrus Budge III (Junior) who is seeking to flatten any man who gets in the path of his advances to his beau. It is uncertain whether Gussie will find the substance to share his true feelings with Madeleine Bassett. Madeleine (Joanna Hickman) flounces frivolously through the action in an array of floating evening gowns which raises temperatures amongst the men. The English men save their skin by burdening the American with another complicated and dubious new form of after dinner etiquette in ‘The Hallo Song’. Alan Ayckbourn’s subtle genius in portraying what is truthful about a society makes this work a masterpiece. In spite of the flaws the characters show they never lose their reassuring blind faith that all will be well. Sitting in this Church Hall, sipping my interval plastic glass of ale it is easy to imagine the Village Green outside. Leaving the theatre I feel strangely patriotic. Regardless of the odds (the new strings on the returned Banjo make no sound at all) Bertie plays on until the audience has been thoroughly entertained with ‘The Wizard Rainbow Finale’. Ah 3, 2, 1, ‘By George, by Jove, by Jeeves!’
The farcical device of mistaken identity is pursued as Gussie and Bertie switch names at the drop of a straw boater to suit whichever scrape they wish to escape. The schadenfreude of unrequited love is personified by Bingo (Jon Trenchard) as he earnestly pursues ‘jolly hockey sticks’ blue stocking Honoria (Laura Checkley) quite literarily in a charity walk. After folding and accepting a lift in Bertie’s car (assembled out of whatever props can be found in this Church Hall) Bingo is forced to hide in the boot as Honoria bites at his heels and is about to rumble him cheating. There is slapstick as Bertie struggles up and down a ladder trying to break an entrance into ‘Totleigh Towers’ to steal some swag. This is part of a plan Harold ‘Stinker’ Pinker and ‘Stiffy’ have hatched so they can pursue their forbidden love. ‘Stiffy’ turns on her heels so dreamily in ‘Half a Moment’ it is easy to see why ‘Stinker’ is quite bedazzled. Madeleine Joseph’s ‘Stiffy’ Byng is a masterclass in musical theatre as each gesture is larger than life as her character inspires loyalty in Bertie in the laugh out loud number ‘Love’s Maze’. Nick Watson’s hilarious choreography ends with a full Morris Dance pageant complete with a May Pole dance and is worth the ticket price alone. The movement gloriously captures the essence of the 1920’s particularly in some lovely trios performed by the male leads. A hint of pantomime enters stage left in the form of pent up American Cyrus Budge III (Junior) who is seeking to flatten any man who gets in the path of his advances to his beau. It is uncertain whether Gussie will find the substance to share his true feelings with Madeleine Bassett. Madeleine (Joanna Hickman) flounces frivolously through the action in an array of floating evening gowns which raises temperatures amongst the men. The English men save their skin by burdening the American with another complicated and dubious new form of after dinner etiquette in ‘The Hallo Song’. Alan Ayckbourn’s subtle genius in portraying what is truthful about a society makes this work a masterpiece. In spite of the flaws the characters show they never lose their reassuring blind faith that all will be well. Sitting in this Church Hall, sipping my interval plastic glass of ale it is easy to imagine the Village Green outside. Leaving the theatre I feel strangely patriotic. Regardless of the odds (the new strings on the returned Banjo make no sound at all) Bertie plays on until the audience has been thoroughly entertained with ‘The Wizard Rainbow Finale’. Ah 3, 2, 1, ‘By George, by Jove, by Jeeves!’