Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsence
Nov. 16th, 2014 07:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
smallhobbitHaving had the performance of Jeeves & Wooster that I was due to see in London last November cancelled, I was delighted to find that the touring version (with different actors) was including Cheltenham in its tour. So off to the Everyman on a Friday night we went.
The idea is that Bertie Wooster tells the audience the story of his latest escapade, which he will act out as the story progresses. Bertie, of course, needs Jeeves to play his own role, since he, Bertie, cannot be in two places at once, and Seppings (Aunt Dahlia's butler) gets roped in to play all the other parts. Which means that Seppings gets to play Aunt Dahlia, complete with ridiculous hat, as well as a number of other roles. It soon becomes apparent that if there are three characters in a scene another actor is required and therefore Jeeves has to undertake this as well. And naturally only Jeeves can pull off the scene where two of his characters are having a conversation with each other.
It was very funny - the props, the rotating scenery, the way it's all put together - was extremely well done. And while at all times the audience is aware of what's happening - because Bertie stops to talk directly to them on occasion - it's still possible to enjoy the storyline.
My only criticism would be of James Lance, who plays Bertie Wooster. Whether it was the script, or whether it was his acting, at times he seemed to over emphasise the Woosterishness. Although probably few people could achieve the heights of Hugh Laurie as Bertie. James Gordon Sinclair (who I remember first seeing in Gregory's Girl, a very long time ago) was excellent, both as Jeeves and as 'Jeeves playing other characters'. And Robert Goodale, who played both Aunt Dahlia and a seven foot Roderick Spode, was extremely funny. Goodale, along with his brother David, adapted the play from the P G Wodehouse books.
The idea is that Bertie Wooster tells the audience the story of his latest escapade, which he will act out as the story progresses. Bertie, of course, needs Jeeves to play his own role, since he, Bertie, cannot be in two places at once, and Seppings (Aunt Dahlia's butler) gets roped in to play all the other parts. Which means that Seppings gets to play Aunt Dahlia, complete with ridiculous hat, as well as a number of other roles. It soon becomes apparent that if there are three characters in a scene another actor is required and therefore Jeeves has to undertake this as well. And naturally only Jeeves can pull off the scene where two of his characters are having a conversation with each other.
It was very funny - the props, the rotating scenery, the way it's all put together - was extremely well done. And while at all times the audience is aware of what's happening - because Bertie stops to talk directly to them on occasion - it's still possible to enjoy the storyline.
My only criticism would be of James Lance, who plays Bertie Wooster. Whether it was the script, or whether it was his acting, at times he seemed to over emphasise the Woosterishness. Although probably few people could achieve the heights of Hugh Laurie as Bertie. James Gordon Sinclair (who I remember first seeing in Gregory's Girl, a very long time ago) was excellent, both as Jeeves and as 'Jeeves playing other characters'. And Robert Goodale, who played both Aunt Dahlia and a seven foot Roderick Spode, was extremely funny. Goodale, along with his brother David, adapted the play from the P G Wodehouse books.
