JEEVES & WOOSTER – REVIEW OF 2026 SHAW FESTIVAL PRODUCTION

Reviewed by James Karas 

Jeeves and Wooster are, of course, the immortal characters created by P. G. Wodehouse  and made famous in his books and television series. With Robert and David Goodale’s adaptation titled Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense their fame has reached the stage as well and the Shaw festival has produced the adaptation at the Court House Theatre for its 2026 season.

The show is done by with only three actors Damien Atkins as Jeeves, Jeff Irving as Bertie Wooster and Travis Seetoo as Seppings who play ten (?) characters? I lost count. The play depends on the extraordinary imagination of the adapters and the outstanding talents of the actors and the adeptness of director Brendan McMurtry-Howlett.

That is complimentary but it does not say enough about the imagination and adroitness of the actors. Wooster (Jeff Irving) starts the show by telling us a story and his gentleman’s gentleman Jeeves (Damien Atkins) appears in perfect form for the role. Then the action picks up speed as Jeeves brings on the set (yes, he decorates the stage) and the other characters begin appearing. Atkins transforms himself into Aunt Dahlia in one of the numerous costumes that he will wear. The costume changes by the characters are done as quickly and efficiently as you are ever likely to see on stage. I should add that one of the characters has to get out of a bathtub. This is slower but even funnier.

Travis Seetoo as Seppings, Jeff Irving as Bertie Wooster
 and Damien Atkins as Jeeves in Jeeves & Wooster
 in Perfect Nonsense. Photo by Michael Cooper.

Inspector Spode comes on but we need more than a costume because he is tall. Grab some books from the bookshelf and he becomes tall. We then need him to become nine feet. Wheel in a stand where he can step on it and walk into a costume appropriate for a very tall man.

That is impressive and the costume changes hold true for the newt-lover Fink-Nottle, the nasty Sir Watkyn, his daughter Madeline, cousin Stiffy Byng the butler Butterworth, Mr. Spode and I am sure I have missed someone. We hit the target when we see Sir Watkin and his niece Stiffy appear simultaneously with the actor wearing the costumes of two characters on different sides of his body. He turns from side to side to represent each character as they address each other.

There is a plot of course. Uncle Tom, Aunt Dahlia’s husband has an obsession with owning certain objects d’art. He wants a silver cow-creamer which is in the possession of Sir Watkyn in his mansion. Wooster must steal it and deal with his friend Fink-Nottle’s engagement to Madeline and what do we do with Stiffy and the investigation into the robbery of the cow-creamer? Or with Madeline’s engagement. She puts Wooster on notice that if things do not work out with Fink-Nottle he is next in line in the game of matrimony.

The world of Jeeves and Wooster is the well-off English upper crust in the 1930’s and their silliness, such as the pursuit of the silver cow-shaped creamer and the game of love and marriage. Regretfully I cannot reveal any more information about the plot because you may not be a Wodehouse reader or Jeeves and Wooster fam and I do not want to spoil the play for you.

The sets starting from Wooster’s apartment in London to Aunt Dahlia’s house in the country, to the English countryside and a two-seater being driven there and the bedroom there and other locations that I may have missed are brought on with the same speed and comic aplomb as if  by magic. Set and Costume Designer Sim Suzer gets full marks. Kudos to Lighting Designer Kaileigh Krysztofiak for his imaginative work. 

The acting by Atkins, Irving and Seetoo deserves nothing less than a standing ovation. They speak with an English accent and they do it well and of course, representing men as well as women. A standing ovation describes their success. Director McMurtry-Howlett obviously had to orchestrate the almost countless moves to keep the show moving at a breakneck speed and producing the laughter that the play calls for.

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Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense by Robert and David Goodale from the works by P.G. Wodehouse continues in repertory until October 10, 2026, at the Court House Theatre, Shaw Festival, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. www.shawfest.com.

James Karas is the Culure Editor of The Greek Press, Toronto