Come on, Jeeves

The St Neots Players brought Guy Bolton’s and PG Wodehouse's play "Come on, Jeeves" to life in their latest production. Despite being unable to perform in their usual venue, they adapted well to the United Reformed Church in St Neots.

At the start of the play, the Lord and Lady Carmoyle (Nigel Moorhouse (also Director) and Heike Revelle) introduced the idea that the play was set in the rundown Abbey owned by the Earl of Towcester (Stu Woolgar), who was facing financial difficulties due to a gambling habit. The set design, while understandably limited due to the church's existing grand furniture, could have been more cohesive which would have enhanced the overall experience.

The plot centred on the Earl's gambling troubles and his desperate attempts to sell the Abbey while keeping his fiancée, Jill Wyvern (Lola Preece), happy. The arrival of a wealthy American, Mrs. Spottsworth (Gillian Haverson), who was interested in buying the Abbey, added to the chaos. The Earl's plan to steal Mrs. Spottsworth's jewellery to fund his gambling debts led to a series of amusing misunderstandings and deceptions.

The small cast delivered strong performances. The Earl of Towcester and his butler, Jeeves (Matthew Davies), portrayed their roles with strong comedic timing. Although the Earl occasionally spoke a little quickly causing some plot points to be missed, the interactions between the Earl and Jeeves and fast exchanges were one of the highlights of the show.

Jill's character exuded a relaxed charm and I enjoyed her performance, while Mrs. Spottsworth's energetic portrayal of the brash American was a standout. The Colonel (Ian Worsfold), a bumbling  character reminiscent of Grandpa Potts from "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," provided many laughs with his physical comedy. It was also nice to see Keeley Randall in a cameo role as the maid.

One of the most memorable scenes involved Mrs. Spottsworth throwing herself at the Colonel, who was hilariously clueless about how to respond. Another notable moment was when the Earl and Mrs. Spottsworth attempted a Charleston to shake an emerald loose from Mrs. Spottsworth's dress, showcasing great physicality and humour.

While the static staging of some scenes could have been improved with less standing in lines talking across the stage at each other, the St Neots Players delivered an overall witty performance. The audience responded enthusiastically. Well done to all involved!

I eagerly await their next production, "Art," which is one of my all-time favourite plays and promises to be another delightful experience.

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