Wodehouse In Wonderland isn’t actor Robert Daws’ first foray into the wonderful world of writer & humorist PG Wodehouse. In the hit 1990s television series about the author’s two most famous creations, Jeeves And Wooster - in which Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie played the title characters - Robert took the recurring supporting role of Tuppy Glossop. 

Now he’s starring as Wodehouse himself, in a brand-new solo show paying homage to one of the most successful English authors of the 20th century.   

Taking place in the 1950s at Wodehouse’s New York State home, the play finds the Surrey-born novelist engaged with the task of writing the latest adventures of Bertie Wooster. His endeavours are interrupted by the arrival of a would-be biographer, and it isn’t long before the author is waxing lyrical about his love of American soap operas, how he created the character of Jeeves, and why he writes books “like musical comedies without music”.

Throughout the show, the excellent Daws entertains the audience with interpretations of some of Wodehouse’s best-loved creations. He brings to life not only Jeeves and Wooster but numerous other exquisitely funny and extrovert characters, among them Lord Emsworth, Gussie Fink-Nottle and Madeline Bassett. 

Music and songs composed by Broadway legends Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Ivor Novello also make their mark. Impressively executed by Daws - who’s no slouch in the singing stakes - they play a significant and memorable role in an evening of truly delightful entertainment that readily calls to mind a more innocent era.

A prolific writer (he published 90-plus books, 40 plays and 200 short stories), Wodehouse experienced both profound tragedy - the death of his beloved daughter - and outrageous injustice - he found himself being unfairly branded a traitor in the Second World War and threatened with prosecution. But despite his woes, he neither bore grudges nor displayed anger, instead choosing to believe in the power of kindness. A quiet and, in certain ways, a naive man, it’s easy to imagine that his legacy - the universe of comic characters he created - would’ve made him happy indeed.

At turns engaging, funny, poignant and sad, Wodehouse In Wonderland is a fitting and thoroughly enjoyable tribute to a writer whose work continues to provide pleasure for millions of avid readers across the world. 

You have today and tomorrow to catch the show here in the Midlands.

4 stars

Reviewed by Sue Hull at Malvern Theatres on Thursday 26 January.

Wodehouse In Wonderland continues at the venue until on Saturday 28 January, and also shows at Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Monday 6 - Wednesday 8 February and Albany Theatre, Coventry, Friday 28 - Saturday 29 April