Christine Baranski and Richard E. Grant Star in Hay Fever

Christine Baranski and Richard E. Grant star in a West End revival of Noël Coward’s Hay Fever at Wyndham’s Theatre, running until December 12, 2026. The production brings together screen veterans for Coward’s 102-year-old comedy about an eccentric family of artists whose country weekend descends into chaos.

The West End revival brings Noël Coward’s drawing-room comedy to London stages with a starry cast led by Oscar nominee Richard E. Grant and two-time Tony Award winner Christine Baranski. Directed by Emily Burns, the limited season at Wyndham’s Theatre runs until December 12, 2026, with a press night on October 1.

A Blissful Interview… Christine Baranski and Richard E. Grant on Hay Fever

The Bliss Family Chaos at Wyndham’s Theatre

Written when Coward was just 25 years old and reportedly finished in three days, Hay Fever premiered in 1925. Though early critics dismissed its thin plot, a century of performances has proved the play’s enduring appeal. The story centers on the eccentric Bliss family in their Berkshire home in Cookham, where retired actress Judith, her novelist husband David, and their grown-up children Simon and Sorel each secretly invite an unsuspecting guest for the same weekend.

The visiting outsiders arrive expecting a peaceful countryside escape, only to find themselves trapped in a whirlwind of dramatic declarations and awkward social encounters.

S4 E1: Christine Baranski and Richard E. Grant discuss Noël Coward’s Hay Fever.

Christine Baranski Makes Her West End Debut

For Baranski, stepping into the role of matriarch Judith Bliss marks her long-awaited West End debut at age 74. Best known for her screen work in The Good Wife, The Gilded Age, and the Mamma Mia! films, the actress trained at Juilliard and began her career on the stage.

“Theatre people are very odd ducks,” Christine Baranski announces with a broad smile. “And Noël Coward knew that. This is an affectionate lens he is seeing them through.”
Christine Baranski, via Vogue

Critics offered mixed assessments of her performance. The Guardian observed that a technically sound RP oddly constrains her initial delivery, leaving some jokes to go begging. Before stepping into the role, Baranski and her co-star visited the Noël Coward archive together to examine the playwright’s papers, looking over letters from historical figures such as Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, and Richard Burton.

Christine Baranski and Richard E. Grant Star in Hay Fever — Photo: cityam.com

Richard E. Grant Joins the Supporting Cast

Partnering with Baranski is Richard E. Grant as the narcissistic novelist David Bliss. Reviewers highlighted the casting as a natural fit, with CityAM describing him as delicious as the delusional novelist in a role that plays to his strengths as an aristo-portrayer.

The production features an ensemble cast supporting the central pair. The wider company is completed by Helena Antoniou, Charlotte Avery, Alan Drake, and Shaun Mendum. Set and costume design are handled by Frankie Bradshaw, with lighting by Oliver Fenwick, sound by Tingying Dong, fight and intimacy direction by Bethan Clark, dialect coaching by Danièle Lydon, associate direction by Blythe Stewart, and casting by Jim Carnahan CSA and Liz Fraser CSA.

“How marvellous!” Christine Baranski reacts to the HAY FEVER curtain reveal

My wife and I divided the world into people who are in showbiz and those who are civilians,” says Grant. That’s the dynamic of this family.
Richard E. Grant, via Vogue

Production Details and Ticket Information

Produced by Wessex Grove and Gavin Kalin Productions, Hay Fever plays a strictly limited season at Wyndham’s Theatre. Performances run until December 12, 2026, following a press night held on October 1.

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