Hay Fever

Synopsis

Classic comedy of bad manners about a flamboyant family. The characters of Judith and David Bliss were based on real life friends of the playwright, American actress Laurette Taylor and her husband Hartley Manners. The eccentric couple were renowned for their table manners, surprised guests would often endure shrill arguments - waged entirely among the family - which often ended with them storming out of the room, leaving their bewildered guests to make what they could of the rest of the evening.

Our Review:

17 April 2009

Hay Fever is one of those plays that do the rounds from time to time, while never quite being recognised as a major dramatic work. It’s easy to see why on both counts: it’s cleverly constructed with a sprinkling of wit but has no real plot and characters that are more like caricatures.

In his programme notes, director Nikolai Foster makes a bold argument that, far from being an inconsequential comedy, Noel Coward’s play possesses deep psychological insights - judging by Foster’s production, they’re very deep indeed. Foster moves away from drawing room drama by highlighting the farcical elements – every suitcase is a potential tripping hazard and, with so many characters given a strange gait, it seems like Monty Python’s Ministry of Silly Walks has been relocated to the Berkshire countryside.

In a country house, the self-centred Bliss family, intent on playing out their own private games, ignore the needs ...

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Latest User Review

Barry Clarke - 26 April 2009:

I had a wonderful time at last night's performance of 'Hay Fever'.... The play and performances were marvellous - laugh out loud funny! The whole audience loved it too! Absolutely nothing to criticise. From me it gets 4/5 stars - if we are star-rating! This certainly deserves a West End transfer as it's so much fun in gloomy times - in a way it kind of reminded me of the 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' in the way that you would *never* want to visit their house! The Bliss' and Martha & George would destroy one!!!! Dame Diana looked absolutely radiant - nowhere near 70 years of age and her comic-timing was spot-on! Barry sic friat crustulum ...

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