Wodehouse in Wonderland Comes to The Tabard Theatre

A play by William Humble looks at the writer's post-war life in New York

Robert Daws as PG Wodehouse
Robert Daws as PG Wodehouse. Picture: Pamela Raith Photography

June 17, 2025

A play by William Humble based on the life and writings of P. G. Wodehouse, is coming to the Tabard Theatre for four shows from 20 - 22 July.

Described as dark, witty and charming the one-man piece stars Robert Daws (Jeeves and Wooster, Poldark) and is directed by Robin Herford (The Woman in Black), the play coincides with the 50th anniversary of Wodehouse's death.

These London performances will serve as previews for a longer run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it will play at Assembly George Square Studios from Wednesday 30 July to Sunday 24 August.

Based on the life and writings of P.G. Wodehouse, Wodehouse in Wonderland takes place in P.G. Wodehouse’s New York State home in the 1950’s. Plum, as he is known to family and friends, is working away at the latest adventures of Bertie Wooster but is interrupted by a young would-be biographer, his adored wife, daughter Snorkles, and his two Pekingese.

He shares stories about how Jeeves entered his life, how he became addicted to American soap operas and why he wrote books that were ‘like musical comedies without music’. He sings songs composed by Broadway legends such as Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Ivor Novello with lyrics written by himself, and entertains the audience with characters including Bertie Wooster, Jeeves, Lord Emsworth, Gussie Fink-Nottle and the squashily romantic Madeline Bassett…but there’s also a darker story ahead for Wodehouse beneath the fun.

Robert Daws said, “Seven years ago, I called my friend of several decades, the BAFTA-winning screenwriter and playwright William Humble, and asked him if he fancied working on a theatre project about the life of Pelham Grenville Wodehouse. To my pleasure and happy surprise, Bill instantly replied, “That would be spiffing”.

“Having already researched the world of Wodehouse for a film script he had been commissioned to write, Bill presented the first draft of Wodehouse In Wonderland within weeks. Workshops, readings, and first performances at Literary Festivals at Oxford, Blenheim Palace, and Gibraltar followed, and Bill was in his element. His love of Wodehouse and the theatre spurred him forward, helping, as he often told me, to fight against the ill health he was increasingly battling to keep at bay. Sadly, Bill lost this battle at the end of 2024, leaving his beloved family and friends to mourn the passing of a loving, passionate and hugely creative man.

“From the beginning of Wodehouse In Wonderland, Bill had expressed the wish that his play might be performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on the 50th Anniversary of Plum’s death. It is bittersweet that Wodehouse In Wonderland will make it to London and Scotland this year but without its author. Neither Bill nor his literary hero Plum was much given to sentimentality. Still, I hope they would both forgive me the indulgence of imagining the two of them looking down on our Tabard and Festival run and enjoying a spiffing time together.”

Wodehouse in Wonderland is produced by Cahoots Theatre Company Ltd and performed by arrangement with the Wodehouse Estate.

To book tickets (£20 or £17 for concessions) for Wodehouse in Wonderland at the Tabard Theatre, visit this link.

Coming Up at The Tabard

Theatre at the Tabard is at 2 Bath Road, Chiswick (W4 1LW).

 

Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More

This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism.

Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets.

We’ve always done that and won’t be changing, in fact we’d like to do more.

However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do.

We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area.

A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site.

One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute.

If you do support us in this way we’d be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor.

For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you’d like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site.
Related links