HAY FEVER Closes Hampton Theatre Company's 30th Season, Now thru 6/7

"Hay Fever"-Noel Coward's quintessentially theatrical comedy of British bad manners-will be the fourth and final production of the Hampton Theatre Company's 30th anniversary season, opening tonight, May 21 at the Quogue Community Hall and running through June 7.

Inspired by a weekend spent at the home of the actress Laurent Taylor, where he was exposed to her "over-the-top theatrical lifestyle," Noel Coward wrote "Hay Fever" in just three days. Opening in London in 1925 when Coward was 25, the madcap comedy won praise from both audiences and critics, who hailed it as funny, bright and cruel-all the attributes that later solidified Coward's reputation as a brilliant playwright.

"Hay Fever" revolves around the four members of the eccentric and bohemian Bliss family, each of whom, without consulting the others, has invited a guest of the opposite sex to spend the weekend at their home in Cookham, 30 miles west of London. No sooner have all the guests arrived than any hopes of a pleasant weekend in the country are dashed by the self-involved romantic overtures and comically melodramatic misbehavior of their hosts.

Hampton Theatre Company Executive Director Sarah Hunnewell noted that "it is wonderfully appropriate that our 30th anniversary season is ending on a note of high comedy featuring three actors who were with the company in our first two seasons-Rosemary Cline, Andrew Botsford, and Diana Marbury-and another actor, Matt Conlon, whose involvement with the HTC dates back to the early 1990s."

Rosemary Cline, who has appeared in more than 30 of the company's productions, plays Judith Bliss, a "rusticating" retired stage actress who finds country life in the role of "the squire's wife" very boring indeed. Andrew Botsford, a veteran with more than 40 HTC productions to his credit, plays David Bliss, her self-absorbed novelist husband.

In addition to directing the production and providing the set décor, Hampton Theatre Company Artistic Director Diana Marbury also plays the role of Clara, Judith's longtime dresser turned housekeeper, cook, and butler all in one.

Matt Conlon, who had principal roles in "Harvey" and "Clybourne Park" this season, plays the straitlaced diplomatist Richard Greatham, invited for the weekend by Sorel Bliss and quickly caught up in the family's machinations.

Jane Cortney, who made her debut with the HTC in "How the Other Half Loves" in 2013, plays the divorcée Myra Arundel, who has been invited by Simon Bliss but possibly has her sights set on his father David. Amanda Griemsmann, who first appeared with the company in last fall's production of "Harvey," has the role of Jackie Coryton, a painfully shy and out of her depth flapper who has been invited by David Bliss so he can study her in "domestic surroundings."

The bohemian and adorably ghastly Bliss offspring-daughter Sorel and son Simon-are played by newcomers to the company, Gabriella Campagna and Bobby Peterson. Judith's guest, the boxer and up-for-anything Sandy Tyrell, is played by another newcomer, Anthony Famulari.

Ms. Marbury's most recent directing credits with the company include last fall's "Harvey," "God Of Carnage" and "How The Other Half Loves." The set design for "Hay Fever" is by Peter-Tolin Baker; lighting is by Sebastian Paczynski; and costumes by Teresa LeBrun.

"Hay Fever" opens on May 21 and runs through June 7 at the Quogue Community Hall on Jessup Avenue. Showtimes are Thursdays and Fridays at 7, Saturdays at 8, and Sundays at 2:30. The Hampton Theatre Company will once again be offering special dinner and theater packages in collaboration with the Southampton, Westhampton Beach, Hampton Bays, Riverhead and Quogue libraries. Complete information about the dinner and theater packages is available on the company website, www.hamptontheatre.org.

To reserve show tickets, visit www.hamptontheatre.org, or call OvationTix at 1-866-811-4111.

To post a comment, you must register and login.