Hay Fever

A timeless comedy revolving around an eccentric family in their country house is the latest fundraising show at Sheringham Little Theatre. 

Noel Coward’s Hay Fever sees the Bliss parents and their grown-up children inviting four unsuspecting guests to their rural retreat for the weekend.

But the idyll turns to chaos as the dramatic and dysfunctional host family erupts into theatrical behaviour and bad manners.

The show, running from November 12-15 is by the Sheringham Little Theatre Players, whose director Hazel Martin said: “It was written and set in the 1920s but it is still so funny – because of the interactions of the characters and Coward’s witty writing.

“The guests have no idea what’s going on as the Blisses play up and argue over nothing.”

The central role of retired actress Judith Bliss is played by Philippa Baillie who also played a Judith in the Players’ last show Cold Comfort Farm back in March.

Her husband David is played by Mike Quenby, their daughter Sorel by Lucy Connor, and son Simon by Zac Register.

The guests are boxer Sandy Tyrell (Rod Feichtinger), sophisticated Myra Arundel (Nicola Gilbert), “diplomatist” Richard Greatham (Peter Blakeley) and flapper Jackie Coryton (Charlie Pistorius), while Clara the servant is played by Jackie Overton.

In 1984 the classic play was made into a 1984 TV movie starring Penelope Keith and Paul Eddington, along with Patricia Hodge (Myra) and Joan Sims (Clara).

The Sheringham show will be in aid of the theatre’s ongoing fundraising for a new cinema screen.

Theatre director Debbie Thompson said: “We are so grateful to the Players for running this fundraising show. As a charity, we always struggle to raise money for capital items and at the moment we are desperate to replace our cinema screen which has a tear in it after 20 years of constant use.” 

Hay Fever runs from Wednesday November 12 to Saturday November 15, nightly at 7.30pm with a 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Tickets from £13.50 from www.sheringhamlittletheatre.com or the box office on 01263 822347.