![]() They’re led by Laurie Davidson in the title role in a strikingly assured National Theatre debut. Regarding Lydia’s faux-feminism with a severely arched eyebrow, beady-eyed, sparky Kerry Howard (as Lucy) keeps the audience onside with many an aside about the state of things, not least the plot: “Beautiful rich idiots falling arse over tit in love, and all the bleeding maid gets to do is oil the effing plot delivering love letters to the wrong people.” She does just that, setting in train a typically riotous host of misunderstandings, chiefly but not exclusively amid the beautifully played pilots ranging from virginal, lovelorn Faulkland (Jordan Metcalfe, complete with legs like wet linguine) to James Corrigan’s thunderingly daft Australian pilot Bob “Wingnut” Acres. Equality can go hang when she wants her maid, Lucy, to cater to her needs. So far, so correct, except for the ruthlessly, comically exploited fact that Lydia’s devotion to liberation stops well short of her own needs. In Sheridan’s original, Lydia is obsessed with romantic fiction here she’s not only First Officer, Air Transport Auxiliary, she’s a staunch devotee of new-found feminism rising from women’s wartime emancipation. “Beefcake,” she exclaims, clapping eyes on the RAF’s swarthy, working-class fitter Dudley Scunthorpe (Kelvin Fletcher). Dame Helen Mirren told casting that she’ll decide when she’s old, thank you very much.”Īs in the original, she is guardian to Lydia Languish (a pin-sharp, deliciously self-satisfied Natalie Simpson) who, to save time explaining the insane, disguise-laden plot, is basically beloved by virtually every young man with a pulse (hence the title) but who very much has ideas of her own. ![]() Malaprop, Sheridan’s legendary, matronly mangler of language, opens the proceedings “with faultless electrocution.” Eyeballing the audience, Caroline Quentin tartly observes, “Imelda Staunton was not available. Picking up on the Restoration comedy idea of direct audience address and running with it throughout, Mrs.
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