Jane Nightwork presents
Making Dickie Happy by Jeremy Kingston
Directed by Robert Gillespie
5th – 30th March 2013
7.30pm Tues – Sat | 3.30pm Sun
Tickets £14 / £10 concs

Young Noel Coward and his boyfriend, Tono; young ‘Dickie’ Mountbatten and a naval chum; and youngish Agatha Christie, mysteriously alone and using another name, all find themselves at a hotel on an island off the Devon coast soon after the end of the First World War. The weekend is fictitious, the people real. This look at relationships, marriages, engagements, promises, hellos and goodbyes is never less than fascinating.

The 1914-1918 War is still a vital memory. Three of the characters were in the Navy (and two of them still are); a fourth fought in the trenches; and even Noel Coward served in the Army, though not for very long. First performed in 2004 to much acclaim and now in the West End, a mere stone’s throw from Christie’s The Mousetrap, Jeremy Kingston’s script evokes the brittle, brilliant world of England’s literary and social elite in this high class period comedy.

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★★★★ “Full of sharp dialogue” –The Guardian 
    
 “An absorbing fictional shindig of sharp tongues and camp, caustic wit”- The Stage

 “Evokes the brittle, brilliant world of England's literary and social elite in the years following World War I - and does it brilliantly.” –Camden New Journal

“Fans of Coward, in particular, will enjoy this agreeably wordy show.” Daily mail

“A smart piece of speculative biography... Kingston has slotted the pieces together neatly, with his celebrity supergroup wittily batting around the concept of betrayal and treachery.” Time out

“The remarkable Helen Duff shining as Christie. Duff’s performance is enthralling throughout, delicate, nuanced and highly intelligent.” Time out

★★★★“Bright, breezy and witty; and the dialogue is an especial treat.” Entertainment Focus

★★★★“A sepia postcard of a beloved era... Gregor Donnelly has done a superb job with the design.” Remotegoat

★★★★“Kingston's writing is quite brilliant, witty, touching.” Remotegoat

“Witty and enjoyable... notable for its sharp, incisive, Cowardesque turn of phrase.” The Public Reviews

“Brimming with 1920s wit and one-liners and sporting top performances from an energetic cast... The simple set renders perfectly an elegant art deco background and the piano hilariously follows the moods of the protagonists.” Plays to See.com

“Camp, bitchy, throwaway fun... The whole cast speaks beautifully, the dialogue is liberally laced with innuendo and a fragment of an unpublished Coward song ‘Devon’ from his first revue is a nice treat.” Exeunt

“The metaphorical curtain rises on a beautiful art deco set that looks as realistic as the costumes, all of which pay tribute to the sterling efforts of designer, Gregor Donnelly.” British Theatre Guide

“The script, full of sharp, laugh out loud, cutting one-liners, provides an enjoyable evening.” Bargain Theatre

“It is also worth mentioning that having never been to the Tristan Bates Theatre before, I can’t help but wonder why this lovely little fringe theatre has not got a higher profile to rival the Finborough or the King’s Head to name a couple.  Not being behind or above a pub it’s a very quiet and big space with nice seating, it wouldn’t surprise me if this is not a venue to watch for the future.” Bargain Theatre

★★★★ (and a half) “Jeremy Kingston is what one might just call, a literary and imaginative genius… Set just after the First World War, Robert Gillespie’s masterful direction and outstanding performances from the cast bring back to life this acclaimed play first performed in 2004.” So So Gay

★★★★“A masterful tête-a-tête between the two wordsmiths. The writing by Jeremy Kingston is a joy to witness, with scorchingly fast repartee and put-downs sending the audience into fits of laughter again and again.” The Upcoming

“For a theatre lover the Tristan Bates Theatre in Covent Garden’s Tower Street is indeed a special place.” UK Theatre Net

“Wonderful... Making Dickie Happy is a delight. Jeremy Kingston’s script is highly entertaining, with conversations which are fascinating and intriguing, while the production is slick and stylish. And as it gives you the chance to visit The Actors’ Centre at the same time it’s a night out not to be missed.” UK Theatre Net

“There are many outstanding performances... top notch.” UK Theatre Net