Hay Fever

Richard E Grant’s delightfully wayward career has taken in plenty of theatre, but none of it’s been in London for a very long time (his last appearance here was in 2005 with Simon Gray’s Otherwise Engaged). A treat, then, to finally see the great thesp give the people what they want: playing a bonkers posh person in Noël Coward’s ultimately bonkers posh person comedy, Hay Fever. He’ll star opposite big name US star Christine Baranski – in her UK stage debut – playing dysfunctional older couple David and Judith Bliss, parents to Sorel and Simon. One evening, all four Blisses invite a guest over without telling any of the others – calamity ensues. Other casting is TBA but keep an eye on the whole ensemble: it’s one of Coward’ spurely funniest plays, and last major West End production in 2012 offered a big break to Phobe Waller-Bridge as Sorel. Emily Burns directs.