There is a reoccurring joke in A Flea In Her Ear that plays out as such- one character will start “I saw this play…”, to which the other will interrupt to say “I’m sorry”. The initial character then waves away the sympathy, explaining, “it was short”. Having seen STC’s latest production of this play, my final response in such a situation (were one to occur) would be to cry dramatically and exclaim “IT WAS NOT LONG ENOUGH!”
A Flea In Her Ear is an absolute masterpiece of comedic wonderment. It is an absolute delight to watch the chaos happen on stage (the complete and utter chaos) and spend the 2 hours in the theatre raucously laughing to the point of tears- and boy did that happen.
The play itself is a French farce, the humour forming inspiration for many beloved comedic works such as Noises Off or even Fawlty Towers. A little unusually for STC this is not really a work with “depth” or “thinking required”- it’s just there to be downright enjoyable. And downright enjoyable it certainly is.
The premise begins, as so many do, with a mistaken assumption- spiraling out into the disarray of plots to catch cheating husbands, mistaken identities, a very seedy hotel, lots of sexual innuendo, Spanish accents, and a good deal of stamina on the actors behalf.
And the actors! As Etienne would say- “where to start!”
Harry Greenwood is the cause for equal parts uncontrollable laughter and an almost uncontrollable desire to give him a hug- Camille’s struggles through his speech impediment and constant misplacement of his precious palate most endearing. Harriet Dyer is a perfect “la freak magnifique” as Raymonde, with perfectly timed outbursts and superb eyebrow game- her expressions are such a delight to watch. David Woods is outstanding in his dual roles as Victor and Poche, and how he manages to character change in-between dialogue is anyone’s guess! He has a complete mastery over Victor’s awkwardness and probably my favourite line in the whole play- “None of this. Desist please” (you’ll just have to see it to appreciate the context). And then there is Justin Smith– where to start where to start! This man was UTTERLY BRILLIANT. The very moment he took to the stage as the overwhelmingly charismatic Carlos Homenides De Histangua the crowd was already in love with him, and he deservedly became the cause for thunderous applauses of appreciation mid-performance.
Stick such a fantastic cast amidst a whirling and twirling beautiful set, give them one of the most-renowned plays with some of the funniest dialogue with which to run rampant, and really- what more could you want?
“What?!”
I said- “WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT!!!”
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Bask in the complete and utter fuss of A Flea In Her Ear at the Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House. Performances until 17th December. For more information and to book visit sydneytheatre.com.au
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