English Touring Theatre have a solid reputation for quality productions and their latest creation is no exception. Winner of the Olivier award for best comedy last year, Nell Gwynn, is a bawdy romp about an orange seller and how she captured the heart of the King of England.

Brilliantly written by Jessica Swale and superbly directed by Christopher Luscombe, the show features an impressive cast of players who exude charisma and energy, all delightful in their roles. George Jennings is endearing as the slightly awkward Ned Spigget who, at the start of the play, presents the prologue while being heckled by the audience and defended by our heroine. Equally likeable is Nicholas Bishop with his interpretation of the troubled playwright, John Dryden, while Mossie Smith and Esh Alladi provide bucket loads of laughs as the dresser, Nancy, and actor, Edward Kynaston, respectively. Ben Righton is perfect as King Charles II, presenting a gentle giant of a character with a convincingly deep affection for his unlikely mistress. In the title role is the wonderfully captivating Laura Pitt-Pulford, who never ceases to amaze with the apparent ease at which she embodies characters to charm and entertain. She plays Nell with such authenticity and vigour, sweeping you up in her story so that you really, truly care. Her ability to engage through performance is remarkable and this part affords her an incredible opportunity to showcase her seemingly endless talents.

This is an extravagant show and Hugh Durrant’s opulent set, beautifully lit by Nick Richings design, allows the action to effortlessly glide from scene to scene, without interruption to the narrative. The copious amount of fabric used in each and every costume is something to behold and creating this marvellous array must have been an unenviable task for Martin de Cerjat and his team. Enhancing the historic feel to this masterpiece is a brilliant four piece band led by musical director, Emily Baines.

Nell Gwynn is a joy to behold.   ★★★★★    Rob Holcroft at Malvern Theatres 16^th March 2017

Photo by and ©Tristram Kenton