Hay Fever review: Richard E Grant brings chaos to more than just Celebrity Traitors in perfectly ludicrous play

Last night, I watched Richard E Grant bring gleeful chaos into a stately home packed with over-dressed eccentrics, all intent on lying, cavorting and inflating their own sense of self-importance – what... Celebrity Traitors was on? I can't believe I missed it!

Instead, I was sucked into a vibrant, perfectly ludicrous parody of 1920s Britain at the opening night of Noël Coward's Hay Fever.

Taking place at London's Wyndham's Theatre, this classic comedy saw the West End debut of Mamma Mia! star Christine Baranski alongside Grant, who play the parents of the capricious Bliss family.

Made up of Baranski's Judith (a sort of-retired actress), Grant's David (a successful novelist), and children Simon (played by Will Close) and Sorel (Ophelia Lovibond), the Bliss's are your stereotypical wealthy kooks, too bohemian for high-society and too snobbish for ordinary folk.

In a classic case of Coward-esque hijinks, every member of the family invites a different guest to stay for the weekend, but instead of a pleasant gathering, their combined quirks, dramatics and insane narcissism get in the way.

They are, in short, the roaring '20s equivalent of the Rose family in Schitt's Creek.

In fact, Baranski seemingly invokes the spirit Moira Rose and Winifred Sanderson in her delightfully unhinged performance. Flitting around the stage like a glittering moth at one moment before diving into passions of deepest baritone at the next.

Her presence is utterly captivating and utterly hilarious as Judith does everything she can to toy with the people around her – wrapping her guests and the audience around her manicured fingers.

Grant and the rest of the Bliss's are just as enjoyable. You get a special sort of Machiavellian buzz when watching Simon prance about the stage in fits of lust, or Sorel pretend she is far more sensible to the rest of them. It's the gratifying kind of meta-theatre when the performance within a performance is simply a family enjoying their own nonsensical behaviours.

The secondary set of players are just as talented too, Charles Edward's Richard had me snorting and Lucy Karczewski put me fondly in mind of Anita from Dinnerladies. The timing of all eight of them is knife sharp, with Coward's irreverent dialogue pinging around the stage like a pinball machine – with often a one-liner from Baranski undercutting everyone else and thwacking the ball right through the posts. It's the kind of show where the audience is noisy with constant low-level chuckles, until a big laugh gets in the way.

Plus, we'd give a major shoutout to the beautifully lavish set. Its lush blues are completely at odds with the chaos inside it, but nevertheless the perfect inviting backdrop to immerse you. It felt as if this show had been exactly copy and pasted from the time it was written, yet the wit and air of mockery felt just as relevant to today.

Hay Fever is ridiculous, unpredictable, theatrical and just a damn good evening out.

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When and where can I see Hay Fever?

Hay Fever is running at Wyndham's Theatre from now until 12 December.

Wyndham's Theatre is just a short walk from Leicester Square (Piccadilly and Northern Line) or Charing Cross (Bakerloo, Northern line and Southeastern Trains).

Tickets are on sale at LOVETheatre from £36.

Buy Hay Fever tickets at LOVETheatre

Make sure you also check out our 20 facts for Wicked's 20th anniversary.

For more recommendations check out the Theatre section or listen to our new podcast In the Interval. Plus, our Jesus Christ Superstar review and Beetlejuice review. We also have events like the best kids theatre shows and best West End shows.