STAGE REVIEW: The Fantastic Follies of Mrs Rich - at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, from Thursday, March 22 to Thursday, June 14, 2018.

THERE’S a distinct hint of Blackadder, even a dab of Absolutely Fabulous in this deliciously boisterous and far from delicate revival of a long-forgotten comedy.

Mary Pix’s offering from way back to 1700 is very much in the feminine corner. Originally The Beau Defeated it centres around a woman’s desire, one Mrs Rich - who is a wealthy widow warmly and brilliantly portrayed by Sophie Stanton, to climb the social ladder no matter who she upsets or steps on in the quest for the title she craves.

It’s more ‘show me the title’ than the money!

After all Mrs Rich was left very comfortably off by her late husband, a wealthy banker of some repute.

As the production runs through the gears it becomes full-on comedy bordering on panto-cum-slapstick. Why bother with a nutcracker when a sledgehammer will do!?

What a pity this play has been gathering dust but Jo Davies’s lusty revival for the Royal Shakespeare Company makes up for lost time and does Pix - one of quite a few female wits who were writing during the Restoration - full justice.

Basically the theme is power and ambition, but there are several sub-plots to ensure all remains colourful, complex and that attention never strays.

Although 300-plus years old it leans towards the struggle we have seen in more recent times for feminine equality. Pay very much to the fore here.

Many of the characters have little schemes up their sleeves - all are looking for either a pay-off or better days ahead such as Tam Williams’ wonderfully foppish Sir John Roverhead, complete with a straying curly lock of hair on his forehead which he regularly teases into position.

He is also teasing with Mrs Rich and has other shameless intentions towards her niece, Daisy Badger’s Lady Landsworth, a role executed with considerable style.

Elsewhere there’s plenty of vim and vigour from the inspired yet manic pairing of Leo Wringer as the Elder Clerimont and Amanda Hadingue as Toni, two good natured countryfolk whose arrival is that of a noisy and lively hunting party with dogs in tow.

And Clerimont does have a trick up his sleeve to more than please Mrs Rich.

Towering above all is Sophie Stanton’s full of guile and opportunism Mrs Rich, as she bought to the role top class comedy timing with curling lips, raised eyebrows and knowing glances towards the audience which worked so well.

Other fine comedic performances too from Shady Shimmin as the neurotic landlady Mrs Fidget who has a fancy for a tot or two and can’t say ‘no’ when a bottle is close to hand and also Solomon Israel’s Younger Clerimont who drifts from despair to delight at the drop of a comfort blanket.

First class costumes add a considerable dash against the backdrop of painted, shabby looking curtains and what a great move to have two of our four-legged friends, lurchers Theo and Lossie (played by Theia and Lossie, her real name), expertly controlled by Toni with the help of hidden tit-bits.

If they had been on stage a little longer they might easily have stolen the show.

It’s all set off in style by an all-female group of four saxophonists, in period dress, who open the proceedings well before ‘curtain up’ with a programme of music that splendidly sets the scene for what proved to be an offering of quintessentially British humour that was hugely enjoyable.

Having been found, let’s hope Mrs Rich and company are not left hanging around for years to come before they have the chance to delight us again.

***APOLOGIES for the delay in this review appearing, which was caused by a serious problem with a computer programme installation.