The Rivals at Orange Tree Theatre Review
Photo by Ellie Kurttz
Written by Cathie for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
This production contains the use of replica firearms, water-based haze, and flashing lights.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s comedic masterpiece The Rivals is now 250 years young. Director Tom Littler and the Orange Tree Theatre celebrate this milestone with a fabulous new adaptation, shifting the play to the Golden Jazz Age of 1920s Bath.
The production is a hilarious satire on dating and follows Sheridan’s original play very closely, aside from shifting the setting from 1775 to 1927. A handful of playful anachronisms break the fourth wall to wink at the audience, but this remains a quite faithful and phenomenal reimagining of Sheridan’s work. Without revealing too much, the course of true love runs anything but smooth when Lydia prefers poor, working-class men over wealthy suitors. Therefore, forcing the protagonist, Captain Jack Absolute, to engage in elaborate subterfuge to win her heart and hand.
The cast are terrific and a delight to watch. As the central couple, Lydia (Zoe Brough) and Jack (Kit Young) share excellent chemistry and deliver the most ridiculous lines with effortless panache. Best friend Faulkland (James Sheldon) and cousin Julia (Boadicea Ricketts) provide much of the comedy as the secondary couple; although they have less stage time, they had the audience in stitches. Maid Lucy (Joëlle Brabban) is hilariously artful in her scheming, with song breaks that are an absolute delight.
Patricia Hodge is magnetic as Mrs Malaprop, reducing the audience to tears of laughter with her innocent and razor-sharp delivery of the infamous malapropisms. Jack’s father, Sir Anthony (Robert Bathurst), is raucous and bad-tempered, yet played with subtle wit and poise. Bob Acres (Dylan Corbett-Bader) and Lucius O’Trigger (Colm Gormley) are excellent foils as rivals for Lydia’s hand, showcasing impeccable comic timing. As an ensemble, the cast work beautifully together to create a truly magical evening.
The set, designed by Anett Black and Neil Irish, engages the audience without overwhelming them. The floor features a printed 1920s map of Bath, highlighting locations from the play, while a clever selection of props brings each setting vividly to life. With numerous scene changes, the use of dance sequences to transition between moments is particularly effective, keeping the audience immersed in the joy and rhythm of the Jazz Age. The costumes are stunning, perfectly capturing the glamour and wealth of the characters. The production is also impressively well paced, maintaining a rapid yet easily digestible rhythm throughout its two and half hour long running time. The acts are cleanly split and work seamlessly in tandem.
This sparkling production is filled with glorious silliness and stands as a worthy successor to Sheridan’s original. Bursting with fantastic performances, sumptuous costumes, and gleaming satire, it will make even the most saturnine thespian giggle. It is the perfect show with which to start the new year. If you’re looking for a production that will lift the gloom of January and send you home with a spring in your step and a warm smile, this is the show for you.
Running until 24 January 2026
★★★★★
