The title of this one-man show comes from P. G. Wodehouse’s 1916 short story Jeeves Takes Charge while the original production drew on two of his stories. That title is an apt introduction to Wodehouse’s enduring comic world, in which Bertie Wooster is the quintessential upper-class twit, while Jeeves, his shrewd, all-knowing valet, evokes the venerable clever-slave archetype of Plautine comedy. The original show premiered at the Lyric Studio, Hammersmith, in 1980, with Edward Duke performing all the roles and Hugh Wooldridge directing. It now returns with Sam Harrison taking on the formidable task of playing 22 characters, with Wooldridge once again at the helm. Harrison is more than up to the job. He slips effortlessly between characters, capturing the rhythms and mannerisms of Wodehouse while drawing us into a world of gentle humour, elaborate misunderstandings and satisfyingly predictable plots. There is a particular pleasure in watching him conjure an entire cast from thin air, while Wooldridge keeps the action brisk and beautifully paced. For those accustomed to today’s sharper, more savage comedy, Wodehouse’s world can seem decidedly genteel and dated. Yet there is something wonderfully restorative about its wit and whimsy, particularly at a time when the real world provides more than enough grimness. The first act demonstrates the formula at its finest, with two ingenious examples of Jeeves quietly manipulating events to rescue Bertie from matrimonial mayhem and family folly. Harrison makes each of these episodes a miniature masterclass in comic timing. Unfortunately, the second act does not maintain the momentum. It becomes something of a hodgepodge, and although Harrison is excellent as the hapless Gussie Fink-Nottle, the central premise of Jeeves taking charge gets lost. Indeed, Jeeves himself barely features. A convoluted narrative involving a speech about a speech feels laboured, while also echoing the joke of the second story in the first act. A confrontation between Bertie and the formidable Aunt Agatha would have seemed to provide an obvious opportunity for comic fireworks, yet although she looms large in the narrative, she never appears. Even so, Harrison’s versatility and the production’s affectionate embrace of Wodehouse make this an entertaining revival. When Jeeves is in charge, this show is a joy.
Rated: ★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Craig Fuller
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