Jeeves Intervenes at NC Stage Co.
Bruce Steele: North Carolina Stage Company comes full circle this month with a new production of Jeeves Intervenes, the play that began the company's popular run of Jeeves comedies back in 2016. What did you think?
Edwin Arnaudin: Though far more pleasant than death or taxes, the delightfulness of these Jeeves stories has likewise come to be a certainty. But it takes a lot of work and skill, starting with playwright Margaret Raether and rippling through a cast featuring some of the Asheville area’s best actors and a crew that knows how to make the most of the assembled talent. Were you likewise charmed yet again?
Bruce: I was! As my husband Christopher, a Jeeves newbie, observed, it's great to see theater in such an intimate setting as NC Stage Co. You almost feel like you're sitting in the lovely upscale London parlor (designed in great detail by Julie K. Ross) along with Bertie Wooster (Scott Treadway) and his unflappable valet Jeeves (Peter Thomasson, pictured above, with Treadway). Director Angie Flynn-McIver compares the Jeeves plays to "comfort food ... the mac and cheese of the theatrical buffet." I agree on the level of satisfaction, but I think she's underselling the great deal of work it must take to pull it all together.
Edwin: Agreed. They may rank among the lightest fare that NC Stage produces, but I consistently found myself in awe of the production value and the cast’s mastery of the script. While not quite His Girl Friday, the lines are fairly rapid-fire, delivered with convincing British accents, and peppered with a great deal of carefully-planned yet wholly convincing gestures and physical comedy.
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Scott Treadway, Faith Lavon, and Charlie Flynn-McIver in Jeeves Intervenes.
All of it pairs well with the particular pickle from which Bertie and Jeeves attempt to extricate Bertie’s bumbling school chum Eustace Bassington-Bassington (Charlie Flynn-McIver). They invent an elaborate charade to fool Bassy’s uncle Rupert (Guiesseppe Jones) into continuing his layabout nephew’s allowance. That plan dovetails nicely with Bertie’s own efforts to escape his forced engagement to Gertrude Winsklesworth-Bode (Faith Lavon), a union prescribed by his domineering aunt Agatha (Callan White).
Bruce: I believe you mean Agatha Spencer-Gregson, since everyone's compound name must be used in full as often as possible—a constant source of amusement. It's a wonder sometimes that the cast can keep straight faces. But of course that's the secret to making this broad comedy work: Each cast member takes their role seriously. Bertie may be flighty and silly, but Treadway makes him casual, believable, and sympathetic as well as hilarious. Jones is a particularly vibrant addition to the cast, delivering Uncle Rupert's arrogance with fearsome bluster, and challenging the ever-reliable White for the "most pompous" crown.
Edwin: While it took some adjusting to pivot from original Jeeves, local theater legend Michael MacCauley, to Thomasson two years ago in Jeeves Saves the Day, the latter was certainly no slouch then and seems even more at home in the role this time, exuding nothing but confidence. Thomasson’s Jeeves exhibits excellent rapport with all five of his co-stars, complementing the qualities you mentioned, plus another top-notch comic relief turn by Flynn-McIver as the inept but lovable Bassy. His infatuation with “man molder” Gertie is a master class in lovestruck buffoonery, while new addition Lavon excels at playing straight as Gertie figures out what the devil is going on. It’s truly ensemble work at its finest.
Bruce: And that includes the behind-the-scenes ensemble, with elaborate and elegant costumes by Victoria Depew, lighting by C.J. Barnwell, sound by Charlie Flynn-McIver, and props by Kenneth D. Horgan, who's also the tech director. The program lists a COVID Safety Manager (Elly Leidner) as well, making explicit the company's dedication to its members' health. NC Stage Co. also books empty seats between different in-person parties and offers a live streaming option for theater patrons who would rather stay isolated. So everyone can have a smartly raucous evening whatever their comfort level with crowds. I have to say, NC Stage Co. always makes us feel at home—especially in Bertie's madcap London quarters.
Jeeves Intervenes is playing through March 13 at North Carolina Stage Co., in downtown Asheville. For details and tickets, visit ncstage.org.
Photos: Courtesy of NC Stage Co.
Callan White and Guiesseppe Jones in Jeeves Intervenes.
