NTlive JACK ABSOLUTE FLIES AGAIN was written by Richard Bean and Oliver Chris, and has been deliciously and cleverly adapted from Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s 1775 English classic comedy “The Rivals”. No longer set in 18th-century Bath, the setting has been changed to 1940s Sussex, during the Battle of Britain, with the expected nostalgia. A large country estate “Malaprop Hall” has been requisitioned by the War Office, and has become an RAF base and airfield.
 

 
RAF Pilot Officer Jack Absolute flies home to try to win the heart of his old flame, the young heiress, Lydia Languish. However Jack has two rivals also “seeking to marry” Lydia Languish.

Wonderful British class satire, that fortunately still includes the Restoration-Comedy convention of breaking the fourth wall, with frequent comedic asides to the audience.

The matronly english-language-mangler Mrs. Malaprop, (Caroline Quentin), praises her huge lexicon and perfect language skills by stating “faultless electrocution”. Completely out of character, she explains to the audience exactly how she was chosen to join the cast, “Imelda Staunton was not available, and Dame Helen Mirren told casting that she will decide when she is old”. Her current marital status is fully disclosed when she states “my husband died, and I became a window.”

Three RAF airmen are the typecast “Rivals” and are all “seeking the hand” of upper-class posh snob and socialist Lydia Languish (Natalie Simpson). She a female Pilot for the WWII British Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), and she is bringing brand-new military aircraft from Canada to Great Britain.

“The theatrical device” is the money-hungry maid Lucy (Kerry Howard) who foreshadows the comedy events to follow, by stating “Beautiful rich idiots falling arse over tit in love, and all the bleeding maid gets to do is oil the effing plot delivering love letters to the wrong people.”

SPOILER: My favourite line is spoken by Mrs. Malaprop – “The Cunt of Monte Christo” so please do expect adult themed words, from our Mrs. Malaprop.

Duration of 150 minutes, including the 20 minute interval. Before the play begins, there is a wonderful Spitfire flight, with Oliver Chris as the passenger.

All images by Brinkhoff-Moegenburg.

A National Theatre production, directed by Emily Burns.

STARRING – Caroline Quentin, Laurie Davidson, Natalie Simpson, Kelvin Fletcher.

CAST-SHEET

Sharmill Films latest National Theatre Live theatrical release, JACK ABSOLUTE FLIES AGAIN is screening in Australian Cinemas from 15th October 2022. Highly Recommended. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

AU-INFO – http://www.sharmillfilms.com.au/allfilms/2022/nt-live-jack-absolute-flies-again

UK-INFO – https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/jack-absolute-flies-again

UK-SYNOPSIS – https://jackabsolutefliesagain.ntlive.com/synopsis/

UK-WEBSITE – https://jackabsolutefliesagain.ntlive.com/

VIDEO – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq-dAfymm78&

VIDEO – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKrKfr1ayyM&

 

Jack Absolute – Laurie Davidson
Dudley Scunthorpe – Kelvin Fletcher
Sir Anthony Absolute – Peter Forbes
Bob ‘Wingnut’ Acres – James Corrigan
Peter Kingsmith – Theo Cowan
Flight Sergeant Sampson – Shailan Gohil
Ensemble – Millie Hikasa
Lucy – Kerry Howard
Ensemble – Chris Jenkins
Ensemble – George Kemp
Ensemble – Joanne McGuinness
Roy Faulkland – Jordan Metcalfe
Mrs Malaprop – Caroline Quentin
Bhaggi ‘Tony’ Khattri – Akshay Sharan
Lydia Languish – Natalie Simpson
Brian Coventry – Tim Steed
Ensemble – Geoffrey Towers
Ensemble – Shona White
Julia Melville – Helena Wilson

 

SHARMILL FILMS has an incomparable and uncompromized record of bringing sublime cinema to Australian shores, specialising in the best of world cinema, and the best in event cinema including Great Britain’s National Theatre Live.