The Fantastic Follies of Mrs Rich, Swan Theatre, Stratford - review

The RSC has taken an almost-forgotten play by a virtually-unknown author, given it the 'vavavoom' treatment and created the biggest surprise of the season in Stratford.

It's a bold, brassy, musical adaptation of Mary Pix's 1700 comedy that explores social climbing.

Mrs Rich, a banker's widow, is extremely rich. But for all her fancy carriages and hordes of servants, she craves the real class that can come only from marrying a lord.

Cue a spider's web of con merchants and faux-aristocrats eager to part the widow from her millions.

Mrs Rich is played by Sophie Stanton, probably best known as DCI Jill Marsden in EastEnders. She was clearly born to play this part and is enchanting and unflagging throughout, spending much of the three hours on stage. On top of this, she also has a great singing voice.

Director Jo Davies delivers a lively, confident and thoroughly polished show with an excellent cast of more than 20, including a couple of dogs.

The old theatrical warning about not working with animals does not apply; these hounds behaved perfectly.

Above all, this show is a timely reminder that the job of theatre is not to preach at audiences but to entertain - even if, as in this case, the moral of the piece is at odds with modern sensitivities.

As the cast belts out the final number, the chorus is the two-word tip that parents have given their daughters throughout history: marry well.

The Fantastic Follies of Mrs Rich is at Stratford until June 14.