London Assurance, marking the end of the inaugural NT Live/Ster Kinekor Live Theatre season, has the honour of being both high-brow and low-brow. High-brow, because it was written in 1841 by Dion Boucicault, so some of the vocabulary and wit requires a sharp mind to keep up. Low-brow because, well, many of the shots are cheap.
The play's director, Nicholas Hytner discusses it beforehand, saying it was written purely to entertain, and a writer has tightened it up somewhat for today's audience.
Both of those are clear. While the humour is quick and sharp, it's not an effort to understand, and is utterly enjoyable in its quaintness.
It is, essentially, a love story, in a very convoluted way.
Dazzle and Spanker
Sir Harcourt Courtly, effeminate London man of society, is set to marry Grace Harkaway, a wealthy country girl, due to some unfortunate agreement by her father prior to his death.
Harcourt's son, the lush Charles, knows nothing of the wedding and he and his friend Richard Dazzle escape from a money lender to the home of Grace and her uncle, Max, through an invitation gained from mistaken identity.
Charles and Grace fall in love, Harcourt is fooled into thinking his son's doppelganger is present, and the indomitable Lady Gay Spanker whooshes in like a hurricane.
Throw in an unflappable valet aptly named Cool, a sneaky lawyer called Meddle and Lady Gay's senile old husband Adolphus and you can't but enjoy yourself.
Familiar faces
The play does feature a few recognisable faces, such as Mark Addy, who can be seen in A Knight's Tale and The Full Monty, and Fiona Shaw, aka Aunt Petunia from the Harry Potter films.
This play is absolutely delightful and hilarious, even if you're not a fan of period pieces. To use Lady Gay's favourite adjective, it's "delicious!"
It was filmed live on 28 June in London, and will be showing in SA on 23, 24, 25 and 28 July at Cinema Nouveau. For more information on where and what time, check out www.sterkinekor.com.
More information on this play, as well as what to expect next season, can be found on NT Live's website www.ntlive.com.
