Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
American actress Christine Baranski has described her upcoming West End debut as a “dream come true.” She will be starring in a fresh production of Noel Coward’s comedy *Hay Fever*, set to open later this year. The news was shared recently by the producers, highlighting that Baranski will be performing alongside Richard E Grant in the show.
At 73, Baranski expressed to BBC News how remarkable it feels to be making this West End appearance at this stage in her career. “It’s been on my bucket list for years,” she said. “It’s going to be just wonderful, I can’t tell you how excited I am. Believe me, I’m already studying the role, learning my lines, and working to polish an English accent.” The play is scheduled to run for 12 weeks, beginning on 22 September at Wyndham’s Theatre in London.
Speaking from New York, Baranski revealed how her busy filming commitments previously prevented her from returning to the stage, despite her strong theatre roots. “The problem has always been my filming schedule,” she explained, “which has not allowed me to carve out enough time to do a play, but if ever there was a play for me to do, it would be this one.” She also emphasized her enthusiasm for the kind of performance the play demands, mentioning the joy of revisiting her light comedy skills in an ensemble cast aiming to revive Noel Coward’s work.
Richard E Grant, who is returning to the West End after nearly 20 years, described Baranski as “sensational” and shared his excitement for the production. “Hay Fever premiered in the West End 101 years ago (but who’s counting?),” he remarked humorously. Grant expressed his love for theatre and delight at being part of this revival of Coward’s “delicious comedy.”
Baranski, widely recognized for her roles in *Mamma Mia!* and the legal drama *The Good Wife*, began her career primarily in theatre and initially had no ambitions to work in television. However, her career took a significant turn in her early 40s when she was cast in the 1990s sitcom *Cybill*. “That really transformed my career, and suddenly I was offered wonderful movie roles,” she said. “So to my astonishment, the latter part of my career has been film and mostly television.” She earned six Emmy nominations for her portrayal of Diane Lockhart in *The Good Wife* and continued the role in the spin-off *The Good Fight*. Her recent work includes appearances in *Chicago*, *Nine Perfect Strangers*, *Frasier*, *The Big Bang Theory*, and HBO’s *The Gilded Age*—the latter concluding shortly before rehearsals for *Hay Fever* begin.
*Hay Fever* centers around the self-absorbed Bliss family, whose weekend plans spiral into chaos as each member unknowingly invites a guest to stay. The lead female character, traditionally played by British actresses, is notably based on an American inspiration: Broadway star Laurette Taylor, whom Coward met in 1921. Baranski shared the story behind the character, noting: “She had a husband named Hartley Manners, and they were so bohemian and so rude.” Coward, amused by their brusque mannerisms, coined the fictional surname “Hardly Manners” and famously described the play as “a comedy of appalling manners.” Despite this, Taylor distanced herself from the portrayal, reportedly saying, “None of us is ever unintentionally rude.”
Having performed in several other Coward works, including *Fumed Oak*, *Private Lives*, and *Blithe Spirit*, Baranski described herself as “something of a Cowardian.” She praised Coward’s “quicksilver delivery and suave flamboyance,” highlighting the joy she finds in bringing his language to life. For her, classical plays hold a special appeal because of their rich dialogue, offering an opportunity to “give a kind of spin to a sentence that you don’t have with modern playwriting.”
Richard E Grant, known for films such as *Withnail & I*, *Saltburn*, *Nuremberg*, and *The Thursday Murder Club*, recently met Baranski via Zoom ahead of the production. “I was utterly captivated by him,” Baranski said. “He’s whip smart, wickedly funny.” The new production of *Hay Fever* will be directed by Emily Burns and produced by Wessex Grove and Gavin Kalin Productions
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
