You Write The Reviews: Hay Fever, Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
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Your support makes all the difference.Dating from 1925 and written in only three days, Hay Fever is rated by many as one of Noël Coward's finest comedies. Judith Bliss, a beautiful retired actress, is spending the weekend at her country house with her romantic-novelist husband, David, their precocious artist son, Simon, and their pretty daughter, Sorel. Unbeknown to the others, each of them has invited someone else to stay. Sorel's choice is the suave diplomat Richard Greatham, Simon's is an awfully amusing friend, Myra Arundel, Judith's is Sandy Tyrell, a young sporting admirer, while David has invited Jackie, a somewhat naive flapper.
Initially, the play is a little slow to gather pace as we are gradually introduced to the assorted family. However, once the guests arrive, the production hits its stride with considerable aplomb. A humorous second act begins with some disastrously embarrassing party games. There are elements of farce before the family launch into a dramatic re-creation of a noted scene from Judith's illustrious theatrical career. The next morning at breakfast allows for some very fine comic moments, before the invited guests attempt to quietly hurry away from this strange family and their chaotic lives.
As its creator admitted, the play is short on plot and action, and its success depends largely on its cast, who, here, are a wonderfully winning combination. Belinda Lang as Judith, her voice swooping and turning in a dizzying masterclass of top-notch timing, has enormous fun as the matriarch of this appalling family. Her versatility is further enhanced by the previously little-known richness of her singing voice. She is well supported by Ben Keaton as David, Fiona Button as Sorel and Chris New as Simon.
Simon Bubb as Sandy Tyrell, a Jon Cleese-like performer par excellence, is a real find, while Lysette Anthony brings power and poignancy and no little glamour to her role as Myra Arundel. Simon Treves as Richard Greatham effortlessly proves that diplomats can be duller than accountants, while Dorothea Myer-Bennett offers beauty if not brains as Jackie the flapper. Attempting to keep the household in order is Tessa Bell-Briggs as the endlessly put-upon housekeeper, Clara.
In this delightful production, Hay Fever emerges as a flawlessly structured and clever comedy, which captures the elegance and refined glamour of a bygone age. The play is certainly perfect summer entertainment to chase away the summertime blues.
Sarah Shenton, Librarian, Stoke-on-Trent
To 16 Aug (0161-833 9833; www.royalexchange.co.uk)
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