The Bliss family is in town.
And you definitely want to pay them a visit.
They are the extraordinarily dramatic, dynamic and daffy folks in Noël Coward's "Hay Fever," which Arizona Repertory Theatre opens this weekend.
Stephen Wrentmore is at the helm of the University of Arizona student production. And he's almost giddy about directing a play by his fellow Brit.
"The sheer delight of these words in your mouth is extraordinary," said Wrentmore, speaking from his office at Arizona Theatre Company, where he is associate artistic director.
"Coward will take 15 words to say what American's say in one. And it's got a lot of air in it, but air allows you to understand the moment."
Coward's works are fat with a knowing wit, cheeky sophistication and outrageous comedy disguised as the norm.
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"Hay Fever" was written in 1924. World War I had ended; World War II wasn't far off.
"At that time, plays were really serious," said Wrentmore. And in comes Coward with a comedy about the eccentric Bliss family at one of their weekend parties. The guests, naturally, are exposed to all their over-the-top, very funny behavior.
"We're talking about a generation of people who have seen the most hideous events, and they decide to have fun," said Wrentmore.
"The historical context is fascinating, and it comments on these people that (author) Evelyn Waugh calls 'bright young things.' There's a whole sense of absolving themselves of responsibility."
Fluff? Quite. Funny? Very. Necessary? Yup.
"Coward said 'what's wrong with a play being entertaining'," said Wrentmore.
"It's a play about nothing, and that's extraordinary. Coward has put eight people together who are designed to collide with one another."
But don't think that makes it easier to stage.
"I think it's a journey for students intellectually and physically," said Wrentmore.
"We're talking about a group of kids who were born when cellphones existed. In Coward's time, you saw someone or wrote them a letter" if you wanted to get in touch.
"They have no frame of reference," he added about the student actors.
Then there are the British accents. "The accent in the American mouth is hard," said Wrentmore.
"To do Coward well, you have to work harder than you've ever worked before. It looks easy, but it needs more work than you think it does."
Wrentmore is clear about how "Hay Fever" should play out.
"Our job is to dazzle the audience with the wit and the erudition of Coward," he said. "It should look graceful and elegant. And the audience's job is to be entertained. That's part of what we're doing here, so that's perfectly lovely."
If you go
• What: "Hay Fever."
• Presented by: Arizona Repertory Theatre.
• By: Noël Coward.
• Director: Stephen Wrentmore.
• When: Previews are 1:30 p.m. Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Monday. Regular performances are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday (opening) and next Thursday. Continues through Oct. 30.
• Where: Tornabene Theatre, in the UA Fine Arts Complex, near North Park Avenue and East Speedway.
• Tickets: Preview, $17; regular performances, $28, with discounts available.
• Reservations/information: 621-1162 or arizona.tix.com
• Running time: About 2 hours 45 minutes, with one intermission.
