Standing ovation for enormously entertaining adaptation of Victorian farce

Charley’s Aunt
The Watermill, Bagnor Wednesday, October 8

THIS very new adaptation of Brandon Thomas’s classic farce follows two Oxford students in Victorian England, who scheme to woo two eligible young ladies, but need a chaperone in order to be alone with them.

They think of Charley’s aunt, who is due to arrive from Brazil, but she is late arriving and they substitute a fellow student in disguise.

Back in its original form, the comedy was provided by the notion of a man dressed up as a woman but, as this concept has become outdated in today’s world, rather than let a good play fade into oblivion writer and actor Rob Madge has written an adaptation that is a hilarious and outrageous celebration of gender neutrality that reflects the changed attitudes of today.

It is bold and rather bonkers but the fact that audiences are being reduced to helpless laughter and giving it a standing ovation shows that it is really rather wonderful, and enormously entertaining.

Madge has taken the roles of Brassett the butler and Babbs the student and combined them, so it is now Babbs who dresses as Charley’s aunt, and it is a part that could have been written for Max Gill, who excels in the role.

But, as always at the Watermill, it is altogether a stellar cast and Jonathan Case is priceless and endearing as Charley, with a perfect foil in Benjamin Westerby’s Jack, who calmly anchors the whole proceedings down.

The girls, Kitty and Amy, played by Yasemin Ozdemir and Mae Munuo, are feisty and delightful, and play a much more prominent role than in the original productions.

Their guardian Lord Spettigue is completely deceived by “Donna Lucia” and throws himself unashamedly at her for her money, and Richard Earl’s perfectly judged and memorable performance adds much to the general hilarity.

When the real Donna Lucia d’Alvadorez and her nephew Eli, played by Maggie Service and Elijah Ferreira, turn up the whole romp draws itself to the predictable happy ending in a very satisfactory way but not before a heartfelt nod towards the rights of the gender-neutral and a very funny dance routine to round things off.

Director Sophie Drake has pulled off a tight, fast-paced and very funny production that is a bit “over the top” in places, but quite acceptably so given the ludicrous plot and the style of the writing.

Speaking of which, it is a colourful production with the occasional colourful language, so if that sort of thing offends you — be prepared!

But it is such a superb evening’s entertainment, brought to you by such a wonderful cast, that I’m sure all can be forgiven. Until Saturday, November 15.

Mary Scriven