"Audiences are assured belly laughs and hijinks aplenty, aptly demonstrating the comedic prowess of this finely crafted Victorian farce."

I’ll admit I’ve seen my share of great British farces from yesteryear – “The Miser,” “School for Scandal,” “An Ideal Husband,” and the frolicsome “The Importance of Being Earnest.” But Dion Boucicault’s “London Assurance” is new to me. After attending the opening night performance, I left the theatre, celebrating its emergence from the shadows of obscurity into its blinding gleam of comic gold.

This delicious high comedy of manners and social status, written in 1838 when Boucicault was only 18, paved the way for the radical works of Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw several decades later. Yet its melodramatic mockery of British upper classes of the mid-1800s is as apropos today as when it debuted in 1841 before enthusiastic audiences in New York and London. Its satirizing take on the pretensions and fashions through sexual innuendo, puns and slapstick quickly made this a literary canon gem. Why had I never heard of this play?

As director Antoni Cimolino states in his program notes, “The sense of modernity…may surprise audiences. As will the strength of the female characters.” He’s got that right! Most of the play’s female characters were written as an assault on the Victorian notion of womanhood, full of irrepressible agency and independence with unconventional, blasé notions of status and marriage. If you’re a fan of the Bridgerton series, the commanding Lady Danbury comes to mind. Meanwhile, the men are mostly fops or dimwits who learn by the play’s end that being a gentleman is not defined simply by inherited wealth but by how well one behaves toward others.

The silly goings-on start in the drawing room of Sir Harcourt Courtly (Geraint Wyn Davies), an over-the-hill London fop with his sights set on a scandalously younger bride, Grace Harkaway (Marissa Orjalo) who, because of a loophole in her father’s will, must marry Harcourt to claim her substantial inheritance. The rest of the play is set on the grounds of Oak Hall, a country estate owned by Grace’s wealthy uncle Max (David Collins). But instead of a quiet weekend of courting in the country, Courtly and his betrothed are interrupted by an unexpected gaggle of holidayers, including the witty and eccentric Lady Gay Spanker (Deborah Hay) and Courtly’s drunken son Charles (Austin Eckert), disguised to escape his London creditors.

Cimolino has assembled some of the Festival’s most seasoned comedic performers as well as relative newcomers that prove their stars are on the rise. Cimolino keeps the pace and energy clipping along and, for the most part, effectively blocks his actors on the thrust stage. I did feel the stage right side was underused with too many scenes at centre or to the left, leaving the audience on the right side not seeing everything. Several actors also remained static for too long, blocking each other’s faces and reactions, such as the first appearance of Lady Gay Spanker. From where I was sitting just right of centre, I missed most of her exuberant and hilarious facial contortions during this scene.

As the dandy Sir Harcourt Courtly, longtime Stratford star Geraint Wynn Davies is foppishly fun. His pompous and vacuous lifestyle of excess makes him fodder for the more “enlightened” county folk he encounters at the estate. It would be very easy to play this character as a caricature, two-dimensional and unbelievable. Wynn Davies seems very aware of this, and at times, his performance lacks the colour to match his vibrant costumes and clown-like makeup. I wanted more dandy. An affected gesture, or more distinctive walk would not have been wasted here. In fact, other supporting characters, such as Spanker and lawyer Mark Meddle (Graham Abbey), found that edge and often eclipsed Davies in funnier and more engaging performances.

As bride-to-be Grace Harkaway, Marissa Orjalo is a revelation. It’s only her second season with the festival, and she has secured a star turn, and she is marvellous! As Grace, she is feisty, charming and has an excellent command of the exaggerated physicality, line delivery and timing that farce requires. Her affected British accent is spot on, too!

Just as perfect is Austin Eckert as the dissolute Charles Harcourt. His haughty “party boy” demeanour as alter ego Augustus Hamilton is hilarious, and his appearance later as a bespectacled, scarf-wearing nerd (a la Harry Potter) boasts his agile versatility. Emilio Vieira as Dazzle oozes with sleazy charm while Rylan Wilkie plays the trusty valet, Cool, with aplomb. His imperious, snobbish line delivery while endlessly standing at attention epitomizes comic subtlety. Deborah Hay, as Lady Gay Spanker, steals every scene. She’s an extraordinarily gifted artist. She, too, has excellent comedic timing. Her winks, nods and eccentric asides had the audience laughing endlessly. Yes, she’s outlandish and over-the-top, but she also seems to be having a glorious time embodying the character’s mischievous joie-de-vivre.

Michael Spencer-Davis is equally uproarious as the doddery Adolphus Spanker. He plays up the enfeebled geriatric to the hilt, milking every move and expression. Another riotous performance that had me in stitches.

Graham Abbey, as Mark Meddle, also delivers on his role as the weird and nutty lawyer. He is loud, boisterous, overblown, overwrought, and brilliantly overdone.

The balance of the cast is fine in supporting roles. Nick Dolan is dizzy servant Seth Soakem, Hilary Adams is saucy as the maid, Pert. John Kirkpatrick bounds on and off stage as the dishevelled James and veteran actor Scott Wentworth makes a brief appearance as Constable Samuel Squeezer.

In terms of production, it’s all about the costumes! Designer Francesca Callow and her team provide a sumptuous and lush feast for the eyes. Gorgeous dresses, suits, hats, rich vests, thick overcoats and especially Sir Courtly’s ornately detailed pink dressing gown are stars in their own right.

Lorenzo Savoini’s set and lighting designs are simple and effective. The play starts in a drawing room represented by a few luxurious chairs, a table and draped curtains. The rest of the play is at Oak Hall’s gardens with lots of potted plants, bushes and benches followed by main living room with antlers everywhere.

Composer Wayne Kelso provides original recordings of traditional folk music for the dance scenes. Ranil Sonnadara’s thunder and birdsong sound design add an effectively subtle ambiance.

Comedies are often viewed as easy entertainment, but the very best comedies offer insight within and beyond the laughs they inspire. Culturally savvy farces like ‘London Assurance’ fill our theatres with laughter while satirically exposing our social follies, reminding us that we can’t take ourselves too seriously in this life.

Running time: Approx. 2 hours, 20 minutes with one intermission
The production runs until October 25 at the Festival Theatre, 55 Queen St., Stratford, For tickets call the Box Office at 1-800-567-1600 or email www.stratfordfestival.ca

The Stratford Festival Presents
“London Assurance” by Dion Boucicault
Directed by Antoni Cimolino
Set and Lighting Designer – Lorenzo Savoini
Costume designer – Francesca Callow
Composer – Wayne Kelso
Sound Designer – Ranil Sonnadara

Performers: Geraint Wyn Davies, Marissa Orjalo, Austin Eckert, Deborah Hay, Emilio Vieira, Rylan Wilkie, David Collins, Michael Spencer-Davis and other Canadian artists in the ensemble.

(Photo Credit: David Hou. Pictured L-R: Emilio Vieira, Michael Spencer-Davis, Marissa Orjalo, David Collins, Deborah Hay and Geraint Wyn-Davies)