WODEHOUSE IN WONDERLAND

Theatre at the Tabard

★★★★

“a blend of flippancy and gravity of which Daws is a master.”

‘Anything in life can be made better or more bearable with a joke’. It is a phrase that informed the life of P. G. Wodehouse and, indeed, the one-man show, “Wodehouse in Wonderland” starring Robert Daws as the writer and humourist. Following a successful tour in 2023, Daws is gearing up for the Edinburgh fringe with a shortened version of William Humble’s gently captivating monologue. Condensed into one act, the show is full of witticisms, epigrams and one-liners, all told with the perfect balance of charm and self-deprecation by Daws who manages to embody Wodehouse’s mix of affection and satire. It is a very English affair, until just over mid-way through, Daws opens up emotionally while touching on the tragedies Wodehouse experienced.

Humble frames the anecdotes within the structure of a letter dictated to Wodehouse’s adopted daughter, Leonora. Director Robin Herford ensures a natural flow, aware of the dynamics and conversational realism. Daws, therefore, has us in the palm of his hand so we feel that we are his sole focus of attention, sipping cocktails with him in his Long Island study. He breaks away from his letter to his daughter to address an unseen biographer whose questions he has reluctantly agreed to answer. Through these dual devices we learn a lot about the life of Wodehouse and his working methods. His early successes, particularly as a lyricist and songwriting partner to Jerome Kern. It is fitting that this also allows him to burst into song occasionally, displaying his comfortably period vocals, reminiscent of the cabaret artists of the 1920s.

Little known facts about Wodehouse are teased out alongside the obvious, and Daws makes the words speak for themselves. Wodehouse, a naturally reticent character, liked to disappear into his imagination and the characters (most notably Jeeves and Wooster) that sprung from his fertile mind are brought vividly to life by Daws. Jeeves, in particular, is almost as real as his wife Ethel, who we occasionally hear from offstage. We dip into darker territory as we learn of his experiences in the second world war, and the backlash he suffered from his ill-informed “Berlin Broadcasts” about his experiences as a prisoner of war – the one time his anecdotal humour backfired for him, indirectly leading to his self-imposed exile to America.

We return to the more light-hearted matters with ease and with a blend of flippancy and gravity of which Daws is a master. A fine actor, he eschews impersonation, opting to let Wodehouse’s philosophy and outlook on life inform his portrayal of the character. ‘I’ve never found it hard to be happy’ Wodehouse would say. ‘After all, what’s the alternative?’. This phrase makes the darker, tragic aspects of his life all the more poignant. Yes, anything in life can be made better or more bearable with a joke.

Joking aside, though, this production is a heartfelt tribute that brings to life not just Wodehouse but the many characters – fictional and real – that shaped his destiny. Told with utmost charm, warmth and nuance, it is the perfect cocktail hour. And it goes down just as well as one of Bertie Wooster’s signature brandy and sodas.

WODEHOUSE IN WONDERLAND

★★★★

Theatre at the Tabard

WODEHOUSE IN WONDERLAND

Theatre at the Tabard

★★★★

“a blend of flippancy and gravity of which Daws is a master.”