The Circle by Somerset Maugham. Richmond Theatre, the Green, Richmond TW9 1QJ to 25 February 2024.

4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.

“A fine revival of a sparkling comedy”

Tom Littler’s production of The Circle opened at the Orange Tree down the road from Richmond Theatre last year, got glowing notices, went on to be staged in Bath and Chichester and now completes its tour up the road in the sort of proscenium stage theatre where it belongs. The Orange Tree works in the round and the play is structured for a different setting as the set created for the tour recognises. The cast is well into their roles although not quite in command of this theatre’s acoustics – a little more volume would help although they are all clear spoken just not loud enough. Arnold Champion-Cheney is a rather stuffy MP with a young wife, a father, Clive Champion-Cheney, basically a dirty old man - he enjoys young friends friends but when the reach 25 they are sent on their way with diamond ring - who lives on a cottage near by. The young Champion-Cheneys are excited because Lady Kitty Champion-Cheney and the man she left Clive for, his best friend and fellow politician, Lord Hughie Porteous, are coming to visit. This is 1920 and Lord Porteous’s political career ended because of the scandal – his claim is he could have been Prime Minister – and he and Lady Kitty live in Italy. Add the presence of another house guest, a handsome young Indian businessman Teddie Luton, who has fallen for his hostess and she for him, and the evening is about whether history will repeat itself with the appalling Clive making trouble for all concerned. Jane Asher is a marvellous red headed scarlet woman in a series of gowns for someone half her age, while Clive Francis as the appalling Clive, out to revenge himself on both of his betrayers, and Nicholas Le Prevost as the pompous Lord are a joy to watch. Will Elizabeth played by Olivia Vinall do what her mother in law, who she is meeting for the first time, did and bolt with Teddie? Or will she stick with stodgy Arnold, played by Pete Ashmore, who is more interested in the interior decoration of the family pile than politics or, although he insists he loves her, his wife. Old fashioned it is, but it still works a treat, and lives up to both its reputation and those original reviews when it was staged down the road. Maugham ‘s play stands up to the passage of time just as well as does Lady Kitty.

Cast

Jane Asher - Lady Kitty Champion-Cheney.

Clive Francis – Clive Champion – Cheney.

Nicholas Le Prevost – Lord Hughie Porteous.

Pete Ashmore – Arnold Champion-Cheney.

Olivia Vinall – Elziabeth Champion-Cheney.

Daniel Burke – Teddie Luton.

Murray – Robert Maskell.

Creatives

Director – Tom Littler

Set & Costume Designer – Louie Whitemore.

Lighting Designer – Chris McConnell.

Sound Designer – Max Pappaneheim.