Jeeves Saves the Day at NC Stage Co.
Bruce Steele: North Carolina Stage Company struck gold in 2016 with Jeeves Intervenes, the first of playwright Margaret Raether's stage adaptations of P.G. Wodehouse's many comic stories of the unflappable valet and his wealthy and frivolous British employer, Bertie Wooster. Four years later, we've got Jeeves Saves the Day, the fifth production — a world premiere — and the first with Peter Thomasson taking on the title role. Did you find it a worthy addition to this beloved Asheville series?
Edwin Arnaudin: I like how you’re lobbing me rhetorical questions and staying one step ahead, much like Jeeves himself. Having only seen last year's Jeeves at Sea, I’m still somewhat of a newbie with Raether’s works, though I'm fond of the Jeeves and Wooster series with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. So, while I can’t provide a definitive ranking or comment on how Jeeves Saves the Day compares with Raether’s first three plays in the series, I can say without question that it’s a comic masterpiece and likely the funniest theatrical work I’ve seen on any Asheville stage. Will you join me in this hyperbolic assessment?
Bruce: I’ll stick to my Jeeves persona here and avoid overstatement but will agree that’s it’s Pretty. Damn. Funny. It’s hard to imagine anyone better in the role of Bertie than Scott Treadway. His comic timing and delivery is spot-on in any role, but he seems to have merged psychically with Bertie, who gets himself into complicated social scrapes from which only Jeeves’ clever ploys can extricate him. This time out, he’s become accidentally engaged (to a woman we never see) and he’s unwisely been put in charge of his ne’er-do-well cousin Egbert, who’s being exiled to South Africa by the family for his misbehavior at various jobs. Not that the specifics of the plot matter that much.
Edwin: I’ll take any excuse to see Treadway’s Bertie and Charlie Flynn-McIver’s Egbert act like man-children, dodging adult responsibilities, dropping malapropisms, and inserting a seemingly endless string of humorous period-appropriate phrases into the delightful conversations. Side forces in the form of intimidating Aunt Agatha (Callan White), jazz singer — and unwitting object of Eggy’s affection — Maisie Dawson (Maria Buchanan), and Bertie’s potential future father-in-law Sir Roderick Glossop (John Hall) likewise bring distinct sensibilities and predilections that keep the pace zippy. But what of Thomasson’s Jeeves? Did you miss Michael MacCauley in the iconic role?
Bruce: This is a different, slightly softer Jeeves than MacCauley’s steely-eyed interpretation, but Thomasson’s human touches add a little emotional insight to the mysterious valet, so I cried no tears at the recasting. After all, the brilliance of NC Stage Co.’s Jeeves plays is how well they take these iconic characters and reimagine them in the form of some incredibly talented local performers. The literary Bertie is in his 20s, but Treadway’s interpretation adds another layer — Bertie’s been acting this way for decades; why would he stop? — that’s not in the source material. And while I don’t know Aunt Agatha from the Wodehouse, I can’t imagine any more formidable and amusing incarnation than White’s. She made me laugh just the way she said “coffee.”
Edwin: I agree that “different” is just fine with me when it comes to Thomasson as Jeeves, though I still would love to see MacCauley’s take on this material. White is indeed a hoot and Buchanan is cheery in the play’s lone underwritten part. The comedic centerpiece for me is an impromptu game of word association between Treadway and Hall. The two actors handle Raether’s rapid-fire dialogue with remarkable ease, earning laughs from multiple levels of jokes, all while moving the plot forward.
Bruce: The word association is indeed hilarious. They could have done that for the full 90 minutes and I would have left happy. It’s a tribute to this cast, to Raether’s fine writing — which borrows from Wodehouse more than strictly adapting — and to Angie Flynn-McIver’s breezy direction. Indeed, the whole production team is at their best with Jeeves Saves the Day. Bertie’s seaside “cabin,” designed by Julie K. Ross, may be the best Jeeves set yet, and Victoria Depew’s costumes are gorgeous and witty but not over-the-top. The play requires some evocative lighting effects, provided by Helen Garcia-Alton, and exotic props, by Kenneth D. Horgan. All in all, a top-notch evening at the theater. What am I overlooking?
Edwin: Sound effects also play a crucial role, so the multitalented Charlie Flynn-McIver likewise deserves praise for that. Otherwise, I think we’ve covered about all we can without spoiling the fun. The only thing I’d add is that weekend performances throughout the show’s run are starting to sell out or are nearing that status, so hop on tickets while you can. You’ll be glad you did.
Jeeves Saves the Day runs through February 23. For tickets and more information, visit ncstage.org.
(Photo courtesy of North Carolina Stage Company)
