STAGE REVIEW Wodehouse in Wonderland

Actor, Robert Daws, 
In Wodehouse in Wonderland
Photograph by Pamela Raith

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It is not a Bertie Wooster narration, this one, but his creator’s life story. Actor, Robert Daws, in the role of author Pelham. G. Wodehouse (P.G. Wodehouse), tells of his life from his English schoolboy days, to living an exiled, sedate, later life in America.

Wodehouse’s (would be) biographer, he refers to as Mr Phillips (who we do not see) is conducting a series of interviews with the author in his Long Island home in the 1950s. Wodehouse’s responses are told in a set of monologues, layer-upon -layer, the stories of his life and career are entwined with Daws reading passages from his character's published works, and performing songs written by famous 20th-century American composers.

Writer, William Humble, opens up the idea that Wodehouse was not a serious thinker, but a happily married man and a lover of the characters he created. A man who was misunderstood by the efforts he made to please and to amuse his public. A man who carried sadness but chose to hide it, and a writer who was a winner, and a loser too, in regard to his use of the English language.

This is a period play based on Wodehouse’s own writing and what is recorded about him. One of the most fascinating things to learn, was the mentions of his working contemporaries, by whom, it seems, he was harshly judged at times. 

There is still much love and adoration for the late author, a humorist and jokesmith, a knight of the British Empire; and for his Jeeves and Wooster fictional stories: a humorous light on the musings of a fictional, Edwardian middle class set up.

This one-man performance of William Humble’s play Wodehouse in Wonderland is so cleverly delivered and produced an entertaining evening of escapism. Thank you Robert Daws and team.

**ENDS**

Review by theatre critic, Debra Hall who attended the press night performance of Wodehouse in Wonderland at Derby Theatre, on Monday 13 Feb 2023 7.30pm

References:

Derby Theatre (2022) What's On 

https://derbytheatre.co.uk/event/wodehouse-in-wonderland/

Twitter.com @GylesB1 https://twitter.com/GylesB1/status/1623806618184957952?s=20&t=fcgu6hF4O_soTVZMgTrNgg

www.google.com