Hay Fever review: Christine Baranski makes perfect West End debut alongside Richard E. Grant
The cast couldn’t be any more star-studded if it tried.
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Christine Baranski has proven her superb abilities on screen, starring in Mamma Mia and Cybill, but she’s never appeared on a West End stage - until now.
Baranski plays a popular actor, preparing for one last performance on the stage.
Her husband in all but name is portrayed by Traitors star Richard E Grant, who is as energetic and flamboyant as you’d hope.
These two really are a power couple on stage. But the shining cast doesn’t stop there: it includes Crown star Charles Edward, W1A actor Ophelia Lovibond and stage supremo Nancy Carroll.
There’s a family of four on stage: mum, dad and their two eccentric children - they all live together in a glorious country house, except there’s only room for a couple of visitors.
The chaos begins when each relative invites a love interest to stay for the weekend. Of course, there’s not enough room for everybody.
The Noel Coward play sits somewhere between a comedy of manners and an old-fashioned farce.
It’s hilarious throughout and runs for just two hours, though it could benefit from tightening in places. It would probably be a stronger 90-minute one-act play.
It’s immensely funny and a real treat to see Christine Baranski on top form.
Hay Fever runs at Wyndham’s Theatre until 12th December.