Perfect Nonsense

Perfect Nonsense: Brighton Review

The Latest.co.uk has the following to say about Perfect Nonsense, currently playing in Brighton until 26 Oct:

Stephen Mangan plays Bertie with a childlike innocence that is totally winning, a remarkably funny performance as he comically struggles with the logistics of the drama and the set whilst still relating to the audience. Matthew Mcfadyen’s Jeeves is superb, still and quiet, he weaves his way through the plot, but at the same time he plays a host of other characters that require a speed and agility that few could manage. To describe his performance as brilliant hardly covers the performance that he achieves. All this takes place on a set that is the pure essence of theatrical design, relying on traditional stage craft rather then modern technology, and all the better, and funnier, for that. An evening of comic mastery that is not to be missed.

Rating 5/5 stars. Read the full review HERE

  • 6562 reads

Perfect Nonsense: The Richmond Magazine Review

Perfect Nonsense has closed in Richmond and moved on to Brighton, with the first showing on 22 October. The Richmond Magazine has posted a review which you can read in its entirety HERE.

One of the best moments in a night that’s filled with many delights for fans of the genre is when Macfadyen simultaneously plays the roles of the gruff Sir Watkyn and the manipulative ingenue ‘Stiffy’ Bing, no mean feat.

Director Sean Foley (who also performed in the Morecambe & Wise homage The Play What I Wrote) maintains a brisk pace throughout with both Mangan and Macfadyen possessing strong comic timing that keeps their double act working effectively. Mention  too should also be made of Mark Hadfield who plays all the other roles, from Aunt Delia to the ever-expanding and absurdly menacing figure of Roderick Spode whose towering presence is only punctured by the revelation of his dodgy practises, something unearthed – of course – by the omniscient Jeeves. As a show it’s aptly named for what it offers is pure froth but it’s delivered with such aplomb even the valet himself might tacitly approve.

(thanks for finding and sharing the review, Jodi)

  • 6688 reads

Perfect Nonsense: The National Brain Appeal Pyjama Party

A fabulous photo of Matthew with Stephen Mangan has been shared by the Evening Standard. It is part of a fundraiser for The National Brain Appeal, a charity close to Stephen Mangan's heart. Read the article in full on the website.

Classic comedy stars Jeeves and Wooster - in the form of Stephen Mangan and Matthew Macfadyen - have donned pyjamas and nightcaps to party in a good cause. The actors, who are playing PG Wodehouse’s famous characters in a new play Perfect Nonsense, took time out from performances at Richmond Theatre this week to relax in support of The National Brain Appeal Pyjama Party.

The appeal, which Mangan has supported since his father died of brain cancer, is holding a week-long series of events starting tomorrow [october 19] to raise funds for the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Queen Square, London, the UK’s largest centre for patients with conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, muscles and nervous system. Mangan, channelling his character, the upper-class twit Bertie Wooster, encouraged others to take part. “What ho! Jeeves and I, as you can see, are preparing for the National Brain Appeal Pyjama Party. Were others not to join us, if not actually disgruntled, we would be far from gruntled.”

Perfect Nonsense: The National Brain Appeal Pyjama Party
  • 12708 reads

Perfect Nonsense: The Argus Interview with Mangan and Macfadyen

The Argus has posted an interview with Stephen Mangan and Matthew Macfadyen talking about their roles in the play Perfect Nonsense based on PD Wodehouse.

Macfadyen, to many people still best known for stony-faced MI5 officer Tom Quinn in Spooks, plays Jeeves. With only three actors playing eight characters, plus numerous sets and costume changes, he says it is the most technical show he’s done.

“Not only are Jeeves and Bertie coping with telling the story, they are also coping with putting on a play to tell the story. They are making the sets, wheeling the sets, changing characters, trying to improvise the story with what’s to hand,” says Macfadyen.

It’s a play within a play, which begins with Bertie regaling a tale to his pals at The Drones Club. When they suggest he put on a play to tell his story, he hires a theatre.

Things get in a muddle when there is no one to play legendary literary heroes Gussie Fink-Nottle, Stiffy Byng and Roderick Spode. Naturally, in comes Jeeves – and for this show, his valeting colleague Seppings – to help.

Also

As for the pair’s relationship, Macfadyen quotes Wodehouse.

“There is a sense of them being married. Bertie says it is two men of iron will living in close proximity to each other.”

Read the full interview on The Argus

  • 5325 reads

Perfect Nonsense: Telegraph Photoshoot

Photographer Clara Molden took photos of director Sean Foley as well as the two leads of Perfect Nonsense, Matthew Macfadyen and Stephen Mangan.  One of the photos was first posted in the Telegraph.

The rest of the images are viewable on Camera Press (search "perfect nonsense") or Redux Pictures (search "perfect nonsense").

An example with the link to the photo

  • 6816 reads
Syndicate content