Review By Jayne Bennett:

The Miser

Theatre Royal Bath

THE new adaptation of The Miser began its two-week run in Bath’s historic Theatre Royal yesterday, prior to its West End run at the Garrick Theatre this spring.

But, despite the undisputed greatness of this classic Moliere play, how do you persuade an audience to part with their own hard-earned cash to come along and see a 17th century French comedy?

Easy – you fill the cast list with big names and wait for the tickets to fly. But this far from does justice to this new revival, which had the crowd engaged from start to finish.

This ‘free adaptation’ by Sean Foley and Phil Porter certainly makes this production accessible to any audience, yet keeps true to the original structure and comedic values.

Far from a dry interpretation of a 17th century French text, this is lively, performed with a constant nod to the audience - just as the original would have been - but with a modern twist.

At times, there was a worry that some of the more modern references would render the production pantomimesque, but the abandonment of flowery language in favour of a style we could all understand was very well received.

One obvious change is to the role of Maitre Jacques – a role which Lee Mack was simply born to play – as he takes on the persona of downtrodden dogsbody.

Not just cook and coachman he is now sommelier, footman and hangman as well as house musician! If you’ve come to the theatre just to see Lee Mack in action, then you won’t be disappointed. He is a very funny man.

And what could be more appropriate in these times of austerity than a play about an old miser and his love of money?

Griff Rhys Jones, as the Miser Harpagon himself, is simply superb (as could be expected!), and with exceptional support from a cast which includes the incredibly talented Mathew Horne, Katy Wix and Ryan Gage, this has got to be a hot ticket that will never get cold.

Comic techniques are delivered layer upon layer throughout – from the moment Katy Wix bustles on stage (she seems to be channelling Queenie from Blackadder) to the hilarious wigs and costumes and classic slapstick moves.

The plot might be centuries old but it is still laugh out loud funny, just as it was meant to be.

  • The Miser is on at the Theatre Royal, Bath until February 18, 2017 before it transfers to the Garrick Theatre, London on March 1.