Hay Fever Is an Ideal Summer Treat

By Andrew Juhl

Cedar Rapids - I’ve always considered Hay Fever to be one of Noël Coward’s best comedies. The play is breezy and ultimately trivial, with one-dimensional, self-indulgent characters. Coward himself once remarked that this play had “no plot at all and remarkably little action,” yet Hay Fever continues—almost 90 years after its original debut—to connect with audiences.

Part of its appeal might lie specifically in its aforementioned triviality and simplicity. The play doesn’t make heavy demands of its audiences. There’s nothing to analyze, there’s no real meaning to be found. It can just be watched and enjoyed, like the best mindless summer entertainment. Another appealing aspect, to be sure, are the hapless shenanigans in which its characters continue to find themselves embroiled, which require a strong ensemble, good chemistry, and anything-but-hapless comedic timing.