OCTAGON THEATRE, BOLTON – UNTIL – SATURDAY 21 OCTOBER 2023
REVIEWED BY ZOE BROWN
5 *****
P.G. Wodehouse’s ‘Perfect Nonsense’ brilliantly adapted from the classic novel ‘The Code of The Woosters’ for stage by The Goodale Brothers, brought the house down.
Wodehouse created 10 novels and more than 30 short stories about the tall and debonair Edwardian gentleman Bertie Wooster and his dependable valet Percy Jeeves. With Wooster often finding himself in strife and reliant upon the rescue of his resourceful companion. The timeless comic genius of Wodehouse’s double act has not diminished in this joint venture by Wiltshire Creative and Octagon Theatre Bolton.
The audience delighted in the sheer energy and enthusiasm of the trio, Luke Barton as Wooster, Patrick Warner as Jeeves and Alistair Cope as Seppings. Each perfectly cast by Olivia Barr, with the latter two actors taking on a variety of characters to assist Wooster in the retelling of his calamitous trip to Totleigh Towers.
‘It’s a complex case of Gussie Fink-Nottle, Madeline Bassett, her father Sir Watkyn, her cousin Stiffy Byng, Roderick Spode and my Aunt Dahlia.’ Says Wooster and so the calamity begins with his uncle’s desire to purchase a silver cow.
Luke Barton as the earnest, dippy, Wooster, was such a devilishly cheeky chappie. He held complete command of his audience as he delivered his narration. Taking time to ensure each of us held his gaze. His timing, diction, and physical comedy were perfect and meant the story never dipped.
Patrick Warner as the suave Jeeves, provided a calming tonic to the fizzy Wooster and his take on newt-loving Gussie Fink-Nottle was sheer brilliance.
Alaistair Cope delighted as the affable Seppings, formidable Aunt Dhalia and the towering Roderick Spode.
As Wooster explains ‘I mean, I’ve been to the theatre a couple of times, I’ve seen people act and have often thought, ‘Well, how hard can that be?’ We soon appreciate that it is, in fact, very hard to accomplish the level of excellence this trio exude.
Direction by Marieke Audsley was slick and made the most of the farce with a combination of the actors’ physical skills and comedic timing to ensure the story never faltered and hit each beat perfectly.
With a glorious 1920’s art deco style compact set design by Olivia du Monceau that allowed for the actors to move between Berkeley Mansions and Totleigh Towers with a simple swivel of a panel or adaptation of a chair. You are transported willingly into the fun-filled world of Wodehouse’s hilarious classics.
What a Spiffingly perfect evening of entertainment that left us leaving the theatre with a Tra-la-la and a Toodle-oo