With plays written by Noel coward, you always know what you’re going to get. It’s like a cup of tea, always the same. Hay Fever fits into this mold.
In this play, the Bliss family – father and novelist David (Richard E. Grant), mother and actress Judith (Christine Baranski), son Simon (Will Close) and daughter Sorel (Ophelia Lovibond) – all live in a huge mansion in the countryside and each invite their own prospective romantic interest to spend the weekend at their home, unbeknownst to each other. It’s a household where housekeeper Clara (Jo McInnes) keeps a close eye on things. As each guest starts arriving, you would expect mayhem and madcap would ensue, however it’s more chuckles and light laughter. Judith is enamoured to Richard (Charles Edwards) – making plans in her head to spend the rest of her life with him. David only has eyes for Myra (Nancy Carroll), while Simon and Sorel fall for Jackie (Lucy Kareczewski) and Sandy (Ash Hunter). But the paramours don’t really reciprocate back, and it all leads to chaos, awkwardness, and just plain silly antics.
Grant chews up every scene he is in, he is fabulous, but this leaves very little room for the rest of the actors to shine. I was disappointed with Baranski who is a multi-talent threat with stage, film and television on her C.V. I wish she would’ve delivered her lines louder as I couldn’t really hear a lot of her dialogue (we were in the stalls). The rest of the cast are fine, with Close and Carroll going the extra mile and standing out a bit more than the others. This is a play that is really only for diehard Coward, Grant and Baranski fans.
Hay Fever is now playing until December 12th, 2026 at Wyndham’s Theatre in Central London.
https://www.wyndhamstheatre.co.uk/whats-on/hay-fever