Hay Fever is over 90 years old and, unfortunately, it shows. Coward’s comedy of errors about a dysfunctional family’s disastrous attempt to entertain guests was not even that popular when it first debuted in 1925. Coward himself summed up the prevalent criticisms that “the play had no plot and that there were few if any ‘witty’ lines”; and as these criticisms still very much ring true today, it is difficult to understand why it has been revived so consistently throughout the years.

Of course, this revival is not without its charming elements. The set is exquisitely realistic – I think I even heard a few gasps as the safety curtain rises and a perfect 1920s living room appears on the stage, which is true to the period without resorting to Great Gatsby-style glitz. The cast also do an admirable job of pulling laughs and endearing moments out of the dull script. As expected, Felicity Kendal is wonderful as the mother of the household Judith Bliss – a retired actress who fuels her need for drama by choosing to see every subtle snub as a grievous offence, and every loving look as a marriage proposal. Kendal’s perfect grasp of comic timing gives the play the lift it so desperately needs, which is also helped by the beguiling Sara Stewart who plays the older suitor of Judith’s son Simon (Edward Franklin), and makes Simon’s obsession with her perfectly believable with her sultry aloofness and quick wit.

Other cast members are slightly less successful at finding comedy, and shout rather than project their lines, which is very off-putting, but in their defence there doesn’t seem to be much comedy to find. This is not to say that the audience sit in silence the whole evening; there are certainly laughs and moments of very solid comedy, but for a play with little to no plot, the comedy really needs to be the star of the show rather than a mediocre member of the ensemble.

If you go in thinking that three acts that have been about nothing whatsoever must lead up to a meaningful finale, then I’m sorry to say that you will be disappointed. Hay Fever is an interesting study of character, and anyone who works in the theatre will recognise with fondness the weird eccentricities of a family of creatives, but really the play is about nothing more than an odd family failing to host a successful social occasion. And without much comedy, that’s just a bit boring. The cast and crew of Hay Fever have done an admirable job, but I think it’s time this geriatric play was finally put to sleep, before its audience is.

Hay Fever plays at the Duke Of York’s Theatre until 1 August. For tickets and more information, see the ATG Tickets website. Photo by Nobby Clark.