CHARLEY’S AUNT

Watermill Theatre

★★★★★

“Rob Madge’s adaptation is an education”

“Charley’s Aunt” is one of the most successful and enduring British farces of all time. Written by Brandon Thomas, it premiered in London in 1892 and has been hugely popular ever since. Its absurd plot, fast paced humour and clever use of mistaken identity and cross-dressing make it a hallmark of archetypal farce, influencing many later comedies, films and sitcoms.

In this joyous new adaptation, superbly directed by Sophie Drake, this classic Victorian play has been given a glow-up by Rob Madge, the award winning creator of My Son’s a Queer (But What can you do?). From the moment you enter the auditorium, the diversity of the audience, the outrageous pink set and the sound of Dora Jar, Doja Cat and Gil Berg leave you in no doubt where we are heading for the night. Rob Madge said ‘how do we tackle gender bending being used as a comedic trope in this current age?’ Well they have managed to recycle and repurpose a brilliant farce, bring it bang up to date and make Charley’s Aunt as relevant to our society as it was to the Victorians.

The plot remains roughly the same, ambiguously set in Victorian times, but with some amusing modern phrases and twists – satisfyingly stronger roles for the women being a positive addition. Two young Oxford Undergraduates, Jack Chesney (Benjamin Westerby) and Charley Wykeham (a quite hilarious performance by Jonathan Case), want to propose to their girlfriends Kitty Verdun (Yasmin Özdemir) and Amy Spettigue (Mae Munuo). Their proposal is thwarted by rigid social etiquette and the need to have a proper chaperone present – Charley’s wealthy Aunt, Donna Lucia d’Alvadorez (a fabulously restrained Maggie Service) is supposed to arrive from Brazil, but when she doesn’t show up, they have to find someone to dress up and take her place so they can entertain the girls.

This production is an absolute hoot with a very talented and strong cast. The whole concept and vibrant costume design (Alex Berry) has a distinctly ‘Bridgerton on steroids’ feel to it. The versatile set lends itself well to the farcical elements of the play, and everyone is scrambling to meet the standards of Victorian marriage and propriety, which are easily mocked and subverted.

At the heart is queering up Charley’s Aunt which is a fantastic idea – the play is already full of gender-bending, identity confusion and performative social norms, which makes it ripe for a queer reimagining. The casting of a non-binary actor (a sensitive yet riotous performance by Max Gill) as Babbs instead of a heterosexual actor explores how their identity makes the disguise both more complicated and yet more liberating – revealing layers the original play only hinted at.

Rob Madge’s adaptation is an education.. transforming a 19th century farce into a tool for contemporary social education, revealing how gender is performed, how identity is constructed and how joy and comedy can challenge outdated norms – all while inviting modern audiences to confront and celebrate the complexities of queerness. Charley’s Aunt is about putting on a role to gain love or acceptance – a deeply relatable queer experience. Queering it doesn’t just modernise this play – it unlocks what was already there, just beneath the surface.

CHARLEY’S AUNT

Watermill Theatre

Reviewed on 8th October 2025

by Sarah Milton

Photography by Mark Senior

Previously reviewed at this venue:

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR | ★★★★★ | July 2025

THREE HENS IN A BOAT | ★★★★★ | May 2025

PIAF | ★★★★ | April 2025

THE KING’S SPEECH | ★★★★ | September 2024

BARNUM | ★★★★ | July 2024

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING | ★★★★ | April 2024

THE LORD OF THE RINGS | ★★★★★ | August 2023

MANSFIELD PARK | ★★★★ | June 2023

CHARLEY’S AUNT

★★★★

“Elijah Ferreira gives a stunning performance as Romeo.”

This intriguing show was written by American Director Joe Calarco in 1997. It translates Romeo and Juliet’s ‘star-crossed lovers’ into pupils who act out the play at a repressive Catholic boys boarding school. The idea of containing a play within a play was very much Shakespeare’s own. A cast of just four are all on stage together for almost the entire evening as we see Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ unfold through their adolescent eyes. Maybe ten percent of the text is new, including some of Shakespeare’s sonnets, latin drill – ‘amo, amas, amat’ and words from ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. Right at the start it’s established that Student 1 has feelings for Student 2 and it’s these two that take on the roles of Romeo and Juliet – in intense performances that don’t always get the approval of their fellows.

A note in the programme by Director and Company founder Paul Stacey underlines their commitment to giving voice to the under-represented including those that identify as LGBTQIA+. This powerful production does just that in a way that some may find poses a playful challenge to their expectations. And if a few traditionalists are offended by this re-purposing of such a familiar text, that is their loss.

Elijah Ferreira gives a stunning performance as Romeo. Every word is carefully weighed and delivered with exacting clarity and dedication to meaning. He uses gesture with almost telegraphic expressiveness. Brayden Emmanuel is physically much taller than Ferreira and as Student 2, his involving and energetic Juliet defies any expectation of camp girlishness.

“a lively and rich-textured show”

Luke Daniels is Mercutio, Friar Laurence and Lady Capulet. Expect theatrical fireworks from the start of the second half when Romeo learns of his banishment. Daniel also shines as Lady Capulet in the scene that follows, as well as giving his own take on Mercutio’s memorable ‘Queen Mab’ speech about dreams. Tom Sowinski has some great comic moments as the Nurse and then flips into the brawling Tybalt in the duel with Mercutio.

A clever and beautiful set by Anna Kelsey literally steams with the intensity of the drama and integrates some pleasing lighting (John Rainsforth) which adds great atmosphere to this intimate and involving studio piece. The costumes ring true whilst avoiding the colour coding of the houses of Montague and Capulet seen in some productions of ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

The play within the play employs some stylised devices to considerable effect. A shouting chorus of disapproval condemns the young lovers. Swords become ropes and cloth. Action is slowed. The boy actors (or is it the Shakespearean characters?) observe each other performing and we see their reactions to the story they are unfolding.

Jamie Lu’s sound design is strong on thunder and lightning and for those that know it, there are some touching ‘Heart Stopper’ moments as the two young lovers get together.

This is a lively and rich-textured show that was a delight to watch.

Tag Archives: Elijah Ferreira

CHARLEY’S AUNT

★★★★★

Watermill Theatre

CHARLEY’S AUNT

Watermill Theatre

★★★★★

“Rob Madge’s adaptation is an education”