Just a touch of summer fun

pparently, Noel Coward wrote Hay Fever when he was only 24 and he dashed it out in under three days. Whether this is true or not is open to question, but the play has all the hallmarks of being written by a precocious youngster smugly showing off his word skills.

There is the odd glimpse of what would become Coward's trademark wit and searing satire, but, for the most part, the humour in Hay Fever is lame and rather shallow.

What is amazing is that the play remains a firm favourite among theatregoers across the country. Many of our greatest actors clamour to play the leading roles.

This production has assembled a fine cast led by Belinda Laing, better known for her exasperated mother in the BBC hit 2.4 Children. She plays the blousy ex-actress Judith Bliss, while Royal Exchange favourite Ben Keaton, always a joy to watch, plays her insufferable novelist husband David.

The parents retire to their country residence with son Simon (Chris New) and daughter Sorel (Fiona Button). All four have invited guests to join them for the weekend. The rest of the play centres on degrading the stupid guests while showing how the Bliss family is so frightfully intelligent and bohemian.

The problem is that the characters have no complexity or depth. Coward said that he wrote the play to amuse and perhaps it did amuse audiences in 1925, but the light humour seems rather quaint for the 21st century.

There are some pluses. The actors give gutsy, energetic performances. The play also looks wonderful. Chris Davey's design has captured the 1920s to a tee.

Maybe, on a July night where the rain is bucketing down and a Siberian wind cuts you open, it is a bit churlish to be to critical when all that director Greg Hersov wanted was to produce some summer fun. Perhaps this production could gently raise the spirits.

Plays until August 9. Box office: (0161) 833-9833.

PAUL FOLEY