Everything you need to know about Hay Fever in the West End

As the classic Noël Coward comedy returns to the London stage, here’s all the information you need

Just when you thought allergy season was over… Noël Coward’s Hay Fever comes to the West End stage this autumn, with two huge stars leading the cast. It’s set to be one of the season’s biggest revivals, an unmissable theatrical event for fans of classic British theatre – or for anyone who enjoys a good laugh. At over a hundred years old, Hay Fever is looking good for it. The celebrated comedy still manages to be fresh, surprising and hilariously funny.

If you’re new to Noël Coward or unaware of this magnificent social satire, let us introduce you. Here’s everything you need to know about the Hay Fever revival hitting the West End next month.

What is Hay Fever about?

Set in an English country house in the 1920s, Hay Fever follows the eccentric Bliss family as they each invite a guest to spend the weekend. From recently retired actress Judith and her novelist husband David to their two young adult children, Sorrel and Simon, each is out to impress – and seduce. Instead, chaos ensues.

When is Hay Fever coming to London?

The show will open in the West End on Tuesday 22 Sept, where it will run until Saturday 12 December.

Which theatre will Hay Fever play at?

Hay Fever will play at Wyndham’s Theatre on Charing Cross Road.

Who’s starring in Hay Fever in the West End?

Leading the cast are Christine Baranski as Judith Bliss and Richard E. Grant as David Bliss. Baranski is a two-time Tony winner and internationally beloved star of stage and screen, known for roles such as Tanya in Mamma Mia!, Diane Lockhart in The Good Wife and Agnes van Rhijn in The Gilded Age. This will be her West End debut.

Oscar-nominated Richard E. Grant is a stalwart of the screen, with recent credits including The Other Bennet, Nuremburg and Saltburn. His last performance in the West End was in the 2006 revival of Simon Gray’s Otherwise Engaged.

Further casting is still to be announced.

Who wrote Hay Fever?

Hay Fever was written by Noël Coward (1899-1971), one of the most celebrated playwrights in British theatre history, known for his witty comedies of manners and satirisations of British society. Other popular works by Coward include Private Lives, Design For Living, Present Laughter and Blithe Spirit. He was also a successful composer and screenwriter, penning the screenplays for In Which We Serve, This Happy Breed, and Brief Encounter. In 2007, the former Albery Theatre on St Martin’s Lane was renamed in his honour.

When was the play first performed?

Hay Fever was first performed at the Ambassadors Theatre in June 1925. It later transferred to the Criterion and played for 384 performances. At the time of the show’s opening, Coward was only 25 years old.

The original production starred Marie Tempest as Judith Bliss, the actress that Coward had in mind when he wrote the part. Judith has since been played by Constance Collier, Edith Evans, Constance Cummings, Rosemary Harris, Judi Dench, Geraldine McEwan and Felicity Kendal.

Hay Fever has been frequently revived over the years. Notably, the 1964 revival at Laurence Olivier’s National Theatre was directed by Coward himself, and marked the first time that company staged a play by a living playwright. The play has also been adapted for radio and television.

Who’s on the creative team?

Hay Fever is directed by Emily Burns. Burns helmed Jack Absolute Flies Again and Dear Octopus) at the National Theatre, Reykjavik at Hampstead Theatre, and Love’s Labour’s Lost and Measure for Measure for the Royal Shakespeare Company, among other credits. The rest of the creative team has yet to be announced.

Why should I see it?

Noël Coward’s work is still in circulation for a reason, and Hay Fever is one of his most popular. Not only does Coward pen an incredibly insightful, clever play – he’s also laugh-out-loud funny. With two immense talents leading the cast, a celebrated director at the helm and a script that will never go out of style, this revival isn’t anything to sneeze at. Don’t miss out.

Hay Fever will play at Wyndham’s Theatre from 22 September to 12 December – find tickets here