PG Wodehouse’s stories of Jeeves, the highly competent Valet to the wealthy idle fool, Bertie Wooster, were written between 1915 and 1974 but are mainly set in a rarefied homes of the aristocracy in the 1930’s and encapsulated a madcap world that the readers could laugh at. The stories were brilliantly brought to life by Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie in a 90s TV series and were staged in 2013 as Perfect Nonsense, with Stephen Mangan as Wooster. Olivier Stockley’s adaptation for Tethered Wits, which has been touring gardens and castles around the UK during July and August, appears to seek to emulate the Perfect Nonsense format of a play within a play and a small troupe of actors playing multiple parts with the story of the 1963 book, Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves.

It is ludicrous tale full of Wodehouse’s famous characters woven around Wooster’s attempt to write a play which emerges as ‘Spamlet the Sane - The Musical’, a clumsy parody of both Hamlet and Spamalot. The plot, which is almost incidental to the mayhem, involves Wooster travelling down to the stately home of Sir Watkyn Bassett (who once fined Wooster £5 for stealing a policeman’s helmet) to try and reconcile Madeline Bassett and Gussie Fink-Nottle, lift the curse of the antique bought from Major Brabazon Plank and assist the Reverend “Stinker” Pinker in securing a post with a vicarage. Across the course of the adventure, we find Gussie on secret nighttime trips to the pantry to break his enforced Vegetarian diet, Jeeves posing as Chief Inspector Witherspoon and Aunt Dahlia stirring Wooster into action over the phone. Of course, Jeeves sorts it all out in the end.

The tour ends at the Actors Church in Covent Garden where is staged (weather permitting) outside on the steps of the church overlooking the picturesque courtyard garden. It might have been better to have staged it on the altar apse inside, which would have depicted the grand interiors of the character homes more simply and avoided the competition with the noise of the street entertainers in Covent Garden, the church bells chiming on the hour and occasional plane flying over. More distracting was the poor masking of the curtain over the Church door which meant we could see cast members changing and waiting to come on throughout.

Nevertheless, the cast of four throw themselves into the business with plenty of gusto, exaggerated mannerisms and loud voices with strong emphasis on some words to create a stylised hammy performance intended to lampoon and amuse. Joe Keenan makes a jovial Wooster with an alpine hat perched on his head and combines well with Rory Dulku’s stiff and reliable Jeeves. Dulku also gets to ham it up as Sir Watkyn and strum his guitar. Alexandra Clare doubles up as Gussie and his estranged girlfriend Madeline leading to the inevitable quip that we never see them together. Olivia Warren makes a forceful Aunt Dahlia, a rumbustious Major Plank, the mischievous Emerald Stoker, and a scheming Stinker. All four play instruments as the characters burst into song at various moments including a faintly bizarre opening number to Act 2 around “To be or not to be”. While the characters seem routed in the 30s, some of the language feels more modern with references to “headspace” and “Febrezeing” and a prominently displayed ham sandwich in a very modern plastic bag.

The result is a piece of silly fun with some clever wordplay, amusing songs and a likeable cheerful cast who deliver it with bags of energy. It has the feel of a piece of nonsense from the Edinburgh Fringe or a Student Union revue and on warm summer’s night in the beautiful setting of the Actors Church Garden, it makes for a very pleasant entertainment.

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Nick Wayne

Jeeves & Wooster in Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves plays at the Actor’s Church, Covent Garden until 1 September, with further info here.