“Jeeves Intervenes” reviewed by Julia W. Rath

[rating=5]“Jeeves Intervenes” is an amusing, light, and wildly appealing farce that you must enjoy for yourself! Directed by Michael Goldberg and adapted by Margaret Raether from the stories of P.G. Wodehouse, First Folio Theatre’s revival of this mesmerizingly entertaining story is guaranteed to captivate all audiences with its intrigue, deception, and wordplay.

The happily carefree bachelor Bertram Wilberforce Wooster, a/k/a Bertie (Christian Gray), resents that his intimidating aunt Agatha Spenser-Gregson (Jill Shellabarger) insists that he ought to get married—and to top it off, she has arranged for the target of his affections to be her overbearing and strong-minded goddaughter Gertrude Winkleswoth-Bode, a/k/a Gertie (Lydia Berger Gray). Gertie, it seems, has a fondness for German philosophers and has made a place for herself in society as well as being Aunt Agatha’s constant companion. Now the two ladies are about to come to Bertie’s London flat for a fearful talk with him. So the play begins when Bertie shares his misgivings about Gertie and his aunt with his unassuming but cunning manservant Jeeves (Christopher John Grella).

Shortly after making this confession, Bertie’s close friend and school chum Eustace Bassington-Bassington, a/k/a Bassy (Nick Sandys), drops in and tells Bertie that he doesn’t want his wealthy Scottish uncle Sir Rupert Watlington-Pipps (Ron Keaton) to send him off to India to run a jute factory. The two men conspire, and Bertie develops a ruse for Uncle Rupert’s benefit: Bassy would pretend to possess Bertie’s ample flat so as to give his uncle the impression that he is a financial success, thus staving off his anticipated exile abroad. The plan sounds reasonable, and Bertie, Bassy, and Jeeves together prepare for the visit with Uncle Rupert the following day. There is only one problem: Bassy reads his telegram wrong, and Uncle Rupert shows up on a Tuesday and not on a Wednesday, the same day when Aunt Agatha and Gertie are being expected. When, by happenstance, the relatively shallow Bassy meets the highly educated Gertie, he is literally “swept off his feet” and wants to be molded by her—all the while Aunt Agatha insists that Bertie must be Gertie’s match. Bertie ultimately encourages Bassy in pursuing a relationship with Gertie, so that he can be “off the hook” and remain single. The heart of this play, however, is Jeeves who, in his masterful way, shares all sorts of brilliant advice with the two school chums, while becoming the confidante of the other characters. So when Bertie’s and Bassy’s false fronts get them into trouble in both their romantic lives and their business arrangements, it is Jeeves who intervenes and comes to the rescue. This leads to the many intricate twists and turns in this comedy; with the resolution being that, in due course, all of the characters achieve what they most want out of life.

Even before the show started, the people in the audience were commenting about how lovely the set design is. Angela Weber Miller outdoes herself in the staging of a living room, entry hallway, and dining room, plus half walls leading in two directions, with the unseen master suite in the direction of stage left and the unseen second bedroom and guest bedroom in the direction of stage right. The vibrant aqua wallpaper ties everything together (not to mention the plot) as does the appropriate wooden front door and the array of ceiling lights that mark off the hallway from the various rooms. Prop designer Wendy Ann completes the effect with an elegant dining room table, swishy draperies, period furniture from the 1910s and 1920s, and all manner of coordinating knick-knacks. Michael McNamara’s lighting design and Brandon Reed, USA’s sound design add to the overall impact of the stage.

Costume designer George Spelvin has done a spectacular job with the various outfits. Particularly fitting is how he distinguishes Bertie’s prosperity from Bassy’s relative indigence in the way that each of them dresses. Bertie’s suit is finely tailored whereas Bassy’s suit looks as if it were off the rack, and, of course, Jeeves is smartly dressed in his manservant garb. Most significantly, Bassy makes a fashion statement when he wears Bertie’s expensive silk pajamas and robe, which annoys his chum to no end. Needless to say, Uncle Rupert’s Scottish kilt makes quite an impression also.

The characters in this show are cleverly drawn, and their drawing-room talk is superficially courteous, but far from always. It’s fun to watch all of their excuses (ridiculous or otherwise) that they make for the sake of advancing their personal agendas in—what is usually termed—polite society. When neither Bertie or Bassy wants to stand up to either Aunt Agatha or Uncle Rupert, it is Jeeves with his ingratiating and subservient manner who provides the oil for the proverbial squeaky wheel. When the characters are not being honest with each other, he sees through their machinations and sets everything right. When the characters are being much too honest with each other, he also sets things right. In the British class structure, he is a lackey by station: He lives in polite society but is not of it. Honest in his dealings and always faithful to Bertie, he lives in a world beyond fakery, beyond the ridiculousness of the moment. In actuality, he is the ruler of the roost.

All in all, this production is a delicious frolic through farcedom! While some plays have you questioning your place in the universe or trying to educate you, this show is an awful lot more fun! Go see it!

First Folio Theatre’s production of “Jeeves Intervenes” is playing through December 4, 2022, in Mayslake Hall on the grounds of the Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 31st St, Oak Brook, Illinois.

(Note that Mayslake Hall is the perfect place to stage this production, since the building is of the same vintage as the setting for this story.)

Performance schedule:

Wednesdays and Fridays – 8:00 p.m.
Thursdays – 3:00 p.m. No performance on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24, 2022.
Saturdays – 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Sundays – 3:00 p.m.

Individual tickets are:

Adults
$49 – Wednesdays and Thursdays
$59 – Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays

Seniors (+65)
$44 – Wednesdays and Thursdays
$54 – Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays

Students (through their university)
$29 – All performances

Note: Prices include a 4% per ticket facilities fee for the Mayslake Peabody Estate.

Group rates are available. Call 630-986-8067 or email firstfolio@firstfolio.org.

Tickets are available for purchase by phone at 630-986-8067, or online at https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=folio.

(Note: Seats are assigned by the box office on the day of the performance, with priority being given to donors, subscribers, and those with special seating requirements. Following those assignments, seats are assigned in the order of purchase, with care being taken to make sure that all members of a given party are seated together.)

For more information about the show, visit: https://firstfolio.org/?production=jeeves-intervenes-2.

Free parking is available on the estate grounds. For directions, go to: https://firstfolio.org/plan-visit/directions/

For general information or to learn about their other offerings, call 630-986-8067 or go to: https://firstfolio.org.

First Folio Theatre is adhering to all COVID-19 safety guidelines. All patrons will be required to proof of full vaccination (2 shots of Moderna/Pfizer or 1 shot of J&J). No exceptions will be made to this policy. All patrons will be required to be masked at all times when inside the building.