Ovation for Wodehouse in Wonderland
Robert Daws in this one-man show. Photo Pamela Raith Photography
Wodehouse in Wonderland, The Albany Theatre, 28 – 29 April 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Review by Ashley Hayward
I first became a fan of the work of PG Wodehouse when watching ‘Jeeves and Wooster’ starring Ian Carmichael and Dennis Price back in the 1960’s and had therefore assumed I was going to be meeting the lovable, upper-class buffoon and his highly resourceful butler.
However, the person I met was its creator and he was superbly played by Robert Daws who I recognised from his many appearances on the telly but had never managed to get to know his name.
Robert Daws. Photo Pamela Raith Photography.
It is set after the war in Wodehouse’s impressive Long Island mansion complete with its extremely well stocked cocktail cabinet. Daws skilfully manages to keep the audience entertained throughout by talking about his frustrations and taking unwanted phone calls as well as reading from some of his works where he demonstrates his versatility by playing a number of parts including such characters as Lord Emsworth, Gussy Fink-Nottle and Madeline Bassett.
Although it is a one man show written by William Humble, we also hear the voices of his wife and his two Pekinese dogs off stage and witness imaginary conversations between Wodehouse and his daughter, his biographer and his best friend.
Daws also shows off his singing ability and we enjoy some classic and instantly recognisable songs from the era including works by Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern and Ivor Novello with some lyrics provided by Wodehouse himself.
Highly talented actor Robert Daws. Photo Pamela Raith Photography.
The whole production is laced with good humour but there is also a darker side concerning his childhood as well as his experiences during and after the war plus his relationship with his adopted daughter Leonora. These are revealed after the interval and are movingly explained by this highly talented actor.
His final statement ‘wouldn’t life be better if people were nice to each other?’ certainly resonated in today’s world of social media.
All in all, it’s a thoroughly entertaining evening where, like me, the audience watched with a permanent smile on their faces and Daws certainly deserved the ovation he received at the end albeit from a disappointingly small audience.
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