Who doesn’t love a good farce? Double entendres and mistaken identity ahoy are the order of the day with ‘Charley’s Aunt’, the acclaimed farce by Brandon Thomas (adapted by Paul Thain).
This virtual table reading (not a production) presented by Proud Haddock gives the audience great insight into how this play could be/ would be on the stage, through the power of Zoom. Gyles Brandreth and Gary Wilmot MBE are just a couple of the well-known names in this all-star cast who the audience get a chance to be up close and personal with.
‘Charley’s Aunt’ follows two Oxford undergraduates, Jack and Charley who, in an attempt to woo two girls, invite them over for lunch to meet Charley’s aunt. However, when they learn that her visit has been postponed last minute, they persuade their fellow student Lord Fancourt to dress up and impersonate the aunt.
What follows are the obvious upper-class problems such as being penniless but bursting with top notch ideas and reputations to maintain, and plenty of innuendo to keep the audience entertained with the comedic goings-on.
‘Charley’s Aunt’ as an online reading gives the audience a special look into how actors are up close, plus the streaming is raising donations for the Equity Charitable Trust; a charity which provides financial support to those in need in the theatre industry.
Reviewer: Samantha Collett
Reviewed: 11th April 2021
North West End UK Rating: ★★★