Mistaken identities

Romance, cross-dressing and mistaken identities were all there in Brandon Thomas’s Charley’s Aunt — one of the best plays I have seen all year.

Set in 1892, director Ian Dickens, from Newark, did a marvellous job giving the production lots of pace and playing it for laughs.

Nick Waring was outstanding as Lord Fancourt Babberley who has to pose as his friend’s aunt from Brazil — where the nuts come from — so he and his pal can meet and propose to their ladyfriends.

His comic timing was perfect and his use of physical theatre marvellous. This is the best thing I have ever seen him do. Henry Gilbert as Charles Wykham and Tim Samuels as Jack Chesney were perfect as the scheming friends in love with Amy Spettigue (Eloise Irving) and Kitty Verdun (Isla Carter).

Ben Roberts almost stole the show as the bumbling butler, Brassett. Neil Stacy was great as Colonel Sir Francis Chesney as was Glyn Grain as Stephen Spettigue competing for the aunt’s hand in marriage.

The play got a lot funnier when real aunt, Donna Lucia D’alvadorez (Sabina Franklyn) and her ward, Ella Delahay (Anna Mitcham) arrived — DAB.