Jack Absolute Flies Again – The National Theatre

★★★★☆

A new comedy that isn’t completely new would be one way to describe this play. Written by Richard Bean and Oliver Chris it is based on Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s 1775 play The Rivals. Updated to the 20th century it is now set on an RAF base in World War II and has many of the classic elements of farce. Coincidences that are improbable and crude elements this would appear to be just what a post-pandemic audience are looking for if the reaction of on the night that I was there is anything to go by.

And there are certainly many laughs.

Jack Absolute Flies Again stars Caroline Quentin as Mrs Malaprop and her character is certainly full of many malapropisms – many of which are not for the prudish! From the moment she entered the stage and began addressing the audience she had them on her side and gave a tour de force performance – even coping with a show stop when I went due to an issue with the set which left her and fellow actor Peter Forbes stranded on stage. Her lines are full of innuendo and a lot of ‘nudge nudge wink wink’ elements.

Jack Absolute is a pilot who returns home to the love of his life, Lydia. However, she has other ideas and an onslaught of mistaken identities, compromising positions, and more malapropisms ensues.

The clever set design by Mark Thompson allows us to move swiftly (when it doesn’t break down) between the RAF base and Malaprop Hall, and the portrayal of the planes as they fly off in battle is very well done by video designer Jeff Sugg.

There are certainly many stereotypes here, from the upperclass Englishman to the serving girl; from the south Asian to the Australian. There is no great philosophy imparted to the audience and it certainly heads towards ‘Carry On’ territory on many occasions. However, you can’t argue with it as a comedy piece. I did wonder what international tourists to The National might make of it as it does seem to lean very much on the British history of comedy and farce. As a piece by itself I would only give it 3 stars, but the performances were generally outstanding and so that raised it for me.