Noel Coward's 1925 comedy Hay Fever is a trifle. Practically nothing happens plot-wise, nor is there any major character development.
Playwright: Noel Coward. At: Circle Theatre, 7300 W. Madison, Forest Park . Phone: 708-771-0700; $24-$26. Through Aug 24
That said, Hay Fever can also be a fizzy delight—depending upon the chemistry of the assembled cast. Circle Theatre's gorgeously designed production under Jim Schneider's assured direction is a strong argument in favor of Coward's flippant comedy. But it's a couple of notches away from being perfect.
Those difficult-to-master British dialects are part of the problem. Though Circle has a proven track record with its previous British comedy successes like An Ideal Husband and Design for Living, most of the Hay Fever cast won't be hired by the BBC for a TV adaptation anytime soon.
The cast also has a tendency to rush the dialogue and jokes in the opening scenes. It took a while for the cast to find the right comic timing the night I attended, but it was clear they were on the right path despite the initial muted audience response.
Hay Fever concerns the eccentric Bliss family in the 1920s ( they each make mountains out of molehills at every opportunity.
Mother Judith Bliss ( Judith Hoppe ) is a retired grand dame of the Theatre ( she pronounces it with the capital 'T' ) . Father David ( Peter Esposito ) is a stand-offish novelist, while grown son Simon ( Bradford R. Lund ) sketches and doodles all the time. Only daughter Sorel ( Erin Reitz ) has a bit of self-awareness about the family scaring people away.
Things go haywire when each of the Blisses invites an admirer down to their country house without telling anyone else. That throws housekeeper Clara ( Mayr Redmon ) into a tizzy.
Interestingly enough, it's the visitors who offer the most convincing and comical performances in Circle's Hay Fever ( perhaps because we're more willing to identify with them reacting to their horrid treatment by the Blisses ) . It's clear the actors playing the Blisses are deliberately acting weird instead of it being second nature.
Kimberly Logan is utter perfection as the icy vamp Myra Arundel ( initially linked with Simon ) . She's always posing just so to make her elegant clothing drape correctly as if in a photo shoot.
Catherine Ferraro is also wonderful as the pretty young thing Jacky Coryton, who is utterly dumbstruck at the odd doings of the Blisses. Eric Lindahl makes a handsome and strapping young admirer of Sandy Tyrell, while Jonathan Nichols wins laughs from the stuffy bewilderment of the reserved British diplomat of Richard Greatham.
Particular notes of commendation go to Bob Knuth's beautifully decorated drawing room set and Suzanne Mann's wonderfully rich and plush 1920s costumes. The plot may be nil, but Circle Theatre's gorgeous Hay Fever is definitely something to sneeze at.
