Robert Daws

Actor and writer Robert Daws gives a performed reading of a new play based on the life and writings of P G Wodehouse with musical accompaniment featuring works composed by Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Ivor Novello and Wodehouse’s lyrics.

The play, written by William Humble and performed by arrangement with the Wodehouse estate, takes place in Wodehouse’s New York State home in the 1950s. Plum, as he is known to family and friends, is working on the latest adventures of Bertie Wooster. He is interrupted by a young would-be biographer, his wife, his daughter Snorkles and the family dogs. 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 with lyrics written by himself and entertains the audience with characters such as Bertie Wooster, Jeeves, Lord Emsworth, Gussie Fink-Nottle and Madeline Bassett.

Daws has appeared in many television series including The Royal, New Tricks and Doc Martin. He was nominated for best comedy actor at the British Comedy Awards for his portrayal of pompous cricket captain Roger Dervish in the ITV comedy drama Outside Edge. He played Tuppy Glossop in the early 1990s version of Jeeves and Wooster that starred Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. More recently, Daws has written a number of crime novels set in Gibraltar, The Rock, The Poisoned Rock, and The Killing Rock.

Humble has written many highly acclaimed films for BBC television including Emmy-award-winning On Giant’s Shoulders, starring Judi Dench, Bafta-nominated Hancock, starring Alfred Molina, and Virtuoso, also starring Alfred Molina with Alison Steadman. His stage plays include What a Performance, starring David Suchet, and Facades, starring Frances de la Tour as Edith Sitwell and directed by Simon Callow.

This event lasts one hour 40 minutes including a 20-minute interval.