A major new revival of  a classic  comedy produced by Tilted Wig on the third stop of its nationwide tour.

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Author  Richard  Sheridan is one of the most astonishing figures in British, and Anglo- Irish, dramatic history. Born in Dublin Ireland in 1751, but educated at Harow school, London. He became an MP for 32 years  in three seats, the first of which , Stafford, he secured by bribery, became Treasurer to the Navy in a Whig government under PM Lord Grenville, , fought two duels, almost dying during the second, and owned the theatre Royal in Drury Lane, London which burned down in 1794. Upon  being seen  drinking a glass of wine in the street while watching the fire, Sheridan was famously reported to have said, “A man may surely be allowed to take a glass of wine by his own fireside”.

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A  politician, orator, raconteur, drunk, gambler, bon viveur,  libertine and adulterer, he believed in living the material he wrote about.

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The School for Scandal was written almost 250 years ago . Director Seán Aydon updates the play by changing the setting, complete with period telephones, and  stylish costumes , from 1777 to the 1950s.  Sarah Beaton’s 1950s set and costume design is lush and lavish ,  bathed in  pinks, greens, oranges and aquamarine blue, oozing period glamour. I am a confirmed Sheridan fan ,that enthusiasm  emanating from a production I saw of “The Rivals” fifty years ago , so  I keenly awaited this production.Aydon frequently asks his cast to “strike a pose”, vogue like, for emphasis, skilfully delivered by Stephen Moynihan, the movement director, whose further role as intimacy director is unnecessary for Sir Peter and Lady Teazle. The title of the play could easily be borrowed for a comedy about Conservative Central office, Lydea Perkins bearing an uncanny resemblance to Carrie Johnson

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All the cast bar Joseph Marcell,  as Sir Peter Teazle,  double up on roles, eight actors play fifteen parts. . The barrage of gossip, intrigue and tittle tattle means that the audience has to concentrate hard to remember who is who, and who has said what to who. Consequently , the first half is slower than the second, as we adjust to the language, characters, back stories  and multiple parts. The production, in two halves, runs for around two and a half hours including interval.

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There are numerous sparkling performances, amongst them, Lydea Perkins  as the profligate WAG Lady Teazle, wonderfully  played by Lydea Perkins ( also the backbiting Mrs C/9andour) and  Emily Jane McNeill as the dirt -dishing  Lady Sneerwell . Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy are amateurs compared to these two. Alex Phelps and Garmon Rhys  excel  as the louche brothers, as does  Tony Timberlake as Sir Oliver, their wealthy uncle .

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Although the enunciation is occasionally unnecessarily shouty for emphasis, nothing can dampen the effervescent  wit and verve of the dialogue, nor the energy of the cast. Aydon has been brave and bold with this 1950s reboot. No-one should be deterred by the Georgian era dialogue, it is well delivered and fits surprisingly well in its new time era. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening which culminated in an unexpected vogue like dance routine rousing an already appreciative audience. Fifty years on the sharpness of a Sheridan script endures.

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Continues until Sat 30^th, and then on nationwide tour until 8^th June 2024.