By Jeeves  (Musical)

October 17-18 & 23-25 at 7:30 PM; October 19 at 2:30 PM

Price:  $14 adults - $10 students 18 and younger

Directed by Laura Johnson

Book and lyrics by Alan Ayckbourne
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber 

The premise:

We are gathered in a church basement to hear a benefit concert presented by Bertie Wooster, on the banjo. Once the acknowledgments and introductions are complete, it is discovered that Bertie’s banjo has been stolen. Jeeves, Bertie’s invaluable valet explains that he has ordered a replacement which should arrive in about two hours. Meanwhile, Jeeves suggests that perhaps Bertie can keep the audience entertained by reminiscing, relating “an amusing anecdote or two.” Jeeves assists, by launching into the narrative of one of Bertie’s many mad-cap adventures. To further bring this story to life, the same personnel who had organized the banjo concert now assume the characters of Bertie’s various friends and nemeses, thus creating our play-within-a-play. Here, our ensemble presents for us the story of an escapade encompassing such elements as romantic mix-ups, mistaken identity and fraud, which culminates in a mock-burglary involving a life-threatening pig-mask.

 Characters are enchanting, though mostly quite dim. Bertie and his chums, according to one of the numbers, have “a collective IQ of about 42,” while the ladies’ intelligence is not much better. As members of a privileged class, these people have priorities which do not emphasize thinking for themselves and consequently, each is constantly blaming others for the messes in which he finds himself. But the steady, unflappable Jeeves manages to guide the story to a reasonable conclusion just in time for the arrival of the new banjo. Bertie’s long-awaited banjo performance is further enhanced by a chorus of the same personnel who have been assisting him throughout the evening. The result is a rousing rendition of “Banjo Boy,” certain to thrill our CST audiences. Incidentally—the ability to play the banjo is NOT a prerequisite for casting. Ayckbourn handles this in a most ingenious way which needs not be revealed at this time.

 
Cast List: