ACTRESS, singer, cabaret turn, film star and cookery-book writer Anita Harris takes on an American accent for her latest role in P G Wodehouse and Guy Bolton's 1952 comedy Come On Jeeves.
In Ian Dickens's production, on tour at Harrogate Theatre from Tuesday to Saturday, she plays Mrs Spotsworth, a loud, wealthy, widowed clairvoyant from Pasadena, California. "She's a rotationist: that's someone who is re-born as one of her ancestors every ninth generation," says Anita.
"The delight of her is that I'm finding more in her with each show, and the pleasure for me and Victor Spinetti is in finding something new every day in the two scenes we do together.
"Victor and I have done a lot of charity shows together, but this is the first time we've done a play together, and we've all gelled as a company and become a family."
Anita is savouring Wodehouse's celebrated turn of phrase and is wallowing in the froth of the language. "It's a joy to do because the writing is so luxurious, taking you back to the period of old England. Wodehouse doesn't cut corners and you can't miss out any word," she says.
In Come On Jeeves, while Bertie Wooster is out of town, Jeeves, is on loan to the Earl of Towcaster, alias Bill, who has been losing heavily on the horses and so decides to become a bookie. However, with an unpaid bet, a furious punter on his heels, and Mrs Spotsworth wanting to buy Bill's crumbling mansion, only Jeeves can sort out the mess.
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"It's called a romp, but it's more than that, though there is a lot of laughter," says Anita. "It's a very good yarn about things going wrong and not happening as they should, which is why it's such a delight in today's world."
Come On Jeeves, Harrogate Theatre, Tuesday to Saturday, 7.30pm, plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Box office: 01423 502 116.
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