Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense
David and Robert Goodale
Caxton Theatre Grimsby
Saturday 19 to Saturday 17 September 2022
7:30 pm
I have never been opposed to the work of PG Wodehouse, but I am not what you could call a fan either. I caught many episodes of the show when it was brought to TV by Fry And Laurie. So, I was uncertain as to what I would make of the latest offering from the Caxton Players directed by Rob Till. At curtain down, I can suggest that any audience attending the show when it opens on Saturday will leave with beaming smiles on their faces induced by the rampant silliness and chaotic multi-roleplaying from the exceptionally hard-working cast of three. It really is well-billed as Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense.
The staging of this production seems incredibly simple but in fact is anything but - the care and creativity that has gone into the design of the piece is impeccable. I was in awe of the way the set is employed to shift action from one scene to the next. I have no doubt that the clever design elements will be the talk of the town in the bar after the show, I take my hat off to Rob Till for the effort and precision that has gone into this work of inspired lunacy.
The sound design also merits a mention here too, as clever use of FX and carefully placed speakers really enhance the action – though I won’t explain further for fear of spoiling the enjoyment of the production by removing all elements of surprise. I was also delighted to hear the oh-so-familiar theme tune as essential to introducing the play.
The story is based on the 1938 novel The Code of the Woosters and is adapted for the stage by brothers David and Robert Goodale, first staged in 2013. Bertie Wooster is an aristocratic fool who has decided to stage a one-man show in a theatre to re-tell the comic capers based on events at Totleigh Manor. However, he really isn’t up to the task. His ever-efficient manservant Jeeves has taken the liberty to prepare some set pieces for the production and provides physical assistance as a performer, assisting Bertie to tell the story. So too, is Seppings the butler to his Aunt Dahlia. Between the three of them, we get a joyous romp that takes the audience on a madcap journey. Three actors portray the classic Wodehouse characters in the show, including Gussie Fink-Nottle, Sir Watkyn Bassett, Madeline Bassett, Roderick Spode, Stiffy Bing, a slightly dusty old butler to Sir Watkyn, and Bertie’s scheming Aunt Dahlia.
William Wiggington, last seen on stage in The Accidental Death of An Anarchist reminds us that he is skilled at holding character and spouting copious amounts of lines with great ease. His Bertie Wooster is an absolute delight. I wondered if I would manage to forget the Hugh Laurie interpretation of the character and I certainly did. Bertie is still an absolute buffoon in Wiggington’s hands, and at times his vocal delivery verges on that of Boris Johnson – another aristocratic buffoon all too familiar with murky shenanigans and deception - and yet he has the physical presence of a young Matt Smith, pre-Doctor Who. It is a wonderful comic performance directed well and displaying fabulous comic timing.
Supporting Wooster, as you might expect is the eternal solid Jeeves, a man with a wit drier than the sands of the desert, so faithful and generous of spirit to his long-term employer. In the role of Jeeves, Baz Young reminds us of his own inestimable comic talent. He provides the perfect foil to Wiggington’s frenetic Wooster with a calm and measured performance that is confident, controlled and urbane. Added to that, Young also delivers sterling performances as Sir Watkyn, Gussie, Madeline and Stiffy. His female characters never go over the top and are played brilliantly. The subtlety and variety of characterisation from Young is fascinating given how broadly each is drawn in Wodehouse’s original work. I doff my cap to him.
The final player in the cast is the incredibly versatile Chris Dempsey returning to the stage after a five-year hiatus. His quick-change abilities and varied vocal deliveries are impressive. Each character is distinct, even when playing contrasting butlers, and the silly threat posed by Roderick Spode. I loved the “ever-growing” characterisation of the menacing Spode, who threatens to beat his victims to a jelly but is ultimately reduced to shame when his darkest secret is revealed. His glorious portrayal of Aunt Dahlia will truly be a crowd-pleaser as he/she bullies Bertie and persuades him to go after a silver cow creamer in the possession of Sir Watkyn. The way in which she confronts Spode is wonderful but again, I shall not spoil the surprise as to how it is achieved. It is so good to see Dempsey’s return to the stage.
I really, really enjoyed my trip into the world of Wodehouse at the Caxton Theatre, and I know that audiences will not be disappointed. I thoroughly recommend that you should suspend your disbelief, leave your critical faculties at the door and simply allow the glorious nonsense to wash over you, as you experience the Perfect Nonsense on display this week.
Andy Evans
06 September 2022
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