Felicity Kendal will lead the cast of Noël Coward’s Hay Fever when the Theatre Royal Bath production arrives at the Duke of York’s Theatre in April.
The revival, which is directed by Lindsay Posner, will play from 29 April to 1 August following its success at the Theatre Royal Bath last summer.
One of Britain’s best-loved actresses, whose career spans almost half a century, Kendal will play Judith, a once glittering star of the London stage who together with her husband David and two Bohemian grown-up children Sorel and Simon make up a family that is incapable of sharing the spotlight.
Kendal returns to the London stage following her role in 2013’s Relatively Speaking at the Wyndham’s Theatre. Her other recent credits include West End productions of The Last Cigarette and Mrs Warren’s Profession, but the actress is still arguably best known for her television role in 70s sitcom The Good Life.
Described by the Daily Telegraph as “A comic masterpiece in the great tradition of high English comedy”, the production follows Kendal’s unconventional, risqué and often downright rude on-stage family as each of them invites a guest to their rural retreat. Misjudged meetings, secret seductions and scandalous revelations proliferate during one outrageous weekend in Berkshire. The actress’ co-stars are still to be announced.
Hay Fever will open at the Duke of York’s Theatre following the forthcoming run of The Nether, Jennifer Haley’s intricate crime drama exploring the complicated and disturbing morality of identity in the digital world, which plays from 30 January to 25 April.