(with summary and credits)
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Director’s Notes
Jaimie Carlson, “Right Ho, Jeeves”
Phoebe Roberts, “Jeeves Takes Charge”
I love comedy, always have. I love to laugh, and share those laughs with others. To that end I’ve been looking to restore comedy to the PMRP’s schedule, and when Mindy Klenoff suggested Jeeves and Wooster as something we could adapt, I began to read some of the original Wodehouse tales. I was instantly charmed, but there was a problem. Bertie talked too much! So when it came time to put the infamous pair up on stage rather than give the role to one actor, I came up with the idea of three pairs of Jeeves and Wooster actors in three different stories, and was fortunate to recruit Phoebe Roberts and Jaimie Carlson as my collaborators. On a personal note I find reading the news very upsetting right now, so the opportunity to come into rehearsal week by week and laugh with my brilliant cast has been uplifting for me. I hope it is for you too.
Halfway through directing this play, I encountered an anecdote from the filming of Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie’s Jeeves and Wooster television series. The two had allegedly said that they didn’t think anyone could properly adapt Wodehouse to TV, but they took the roles because they didn’t trust anyone else to do it any better. I laughed upon hearing this, because that is exactly what I had initially thought about the concept of gender-swapping Jeeves and Wooster!
What gives me such ludicrous hubris? Not my own talent, but that of the actors of the PMRP, and the writing of P. G. Wodehouse.
PMRP has incredibly talented actors of all genders, all of whom could put a different spin on the iconic characters of Jeeves and Wooster. Imagining Jeeves as a buttoned-up lady’s companion, and Wooster as a flighty flapper, preserved for me the essential nature of the characters while giving as many people as possible a whack at the roles! For me, the joy of Wodehouse isn’t in picturing a certain person physically in a role (sorry, Messrs Fry and Laurie) but in sitting there and letting the language wash over you. I found Wodehouse’s wordplay to work exceptionally well for our articulate actors and our radio medium. And I think the joy of that language is for everyone!
Furthermore, I think that Right Ho, Jeeves, of all the Wodehouse canon, is particularly suitable for a gender-swap. Why choose this story specifically? I might mention that it features the incomparable fox-hunter Aunt Dahlia, about whom I couldn’t bear to change a thing. Dahlia is one of the few women in the Wodehouse canon with whom Wooster has a nice relationship (per Bertie, she is “my good and kindly aunt, [unlike] Aunt Agatha, the one who chews broken bottles and kills rats with her teeth”)! I might mention that it features some scenarios which, though they certainly weren’t intended to, might seem strangely familiar to 21st century women! Gussie is told to wear a striking costume just to impress a date (though I took the liberty of changing the devil costume to a sexy little red dress.) It was barely a hop, skip, and a jump to change that “weird Gawd-help us” Madeline Bassett to Matthew Bassett, a gentleman with a penchant for explaining his poetry at you for hours. And the central conceit of trying to help a friend find love, and encountering a bit of chaos along the way, is one many people can relate to, regardless of gender. I think our actors do a wonderful job at highlighting the friendship between Gussie and Wooster, and between Wooster and Jeeves.
But really, I had settled on adapting this story once I read the newt’s mating dance!
Thanks to my wonderful collaborators, Jeremy and Phoebe, for saying “we’re doing it already!” when I suggested adapting Jeeves and Wooster. And thanks to my absurdly talented cast and crew — when your leads start texting each other “thank you jeeves” and “yes madam” within 15 minutes of being cast, you know you’re in for a fun ride. So sit back, relax, and enjoy Right Ho, Jeeves! I hope you find it to be one long scream from start to finish.
As a longtime fan of P.G. Wodehouse’s work, I was so excited to get to tackle a Jeeves and Wooster adaptation. It’s always made me smile how many people whose sense of humor is influenced by Jeeves and Wooster, even a hundred years after their debut. I wrote my first major original comedy play, Gentlemen Never Tell (watch it for free on YouTube), with Wodehouse’s style as the major inspiration for the humor and plot. There’s something strangely timeless about the foibles of the idle rich, the power that comes from being quick and clever, and the charm of an unexpected friendship.
Tonight you’re going to see three different spins on familiar Jeeves and Wooster tales — one classic, one gender-swapped, and one with a slightly more contemporary narrative sensibility. That last one is mine, an attempt not to modernize the setting or characters, but to approach the same story with a little more complexity and weight. The original Jeeves and Wooster stories took place in a nebulous eternal early-twentieth century, with characters insulated from any burden of history or the larger world. They are more concerned with entertaining their audience and distracting them from distressing things like, say, World War I and the Great Depression, than doing much to comment on the society in which they take place. But I wondered if I could take that same wit and charm and use it to say a little bit more — about that period right after the Great War, about the divide between the classes, and what it means to make a connection across it.
So here’s my best effort to interpret this wonderful source material into a fun audio drama with ideas as well as ideas. It’ll be up to you to decide how well we succeeded — though I will say, with a cast like this, the piece gets a hell of a leg up! Thanks so much for being here with us, and when they ask you if you had as much fun as we did, I hope you say, “Ra-THER!”
Cast and Crew Biographies:
Em Bonnici (Florence Craye in Jeeves Takes Charge) is returning to the stage after five years in their first production with PMRP! Em works full time as a Theatrical Freelancer in the Greater Boston Area with companies such as the American Repertory Theatre, Boston Lyric Opera, M.I.T. et plus. They also are a member of Balter Dance’s “SLG” — a Camberville based fusion dance troupe. Notable onstage roles include but are not limited to: Dromio of Ephesus in C.U.P.S. “Comedy of Errors”, Ensemble/Dance Captain for C.M.T.’s “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”, Alice Sycamore in AKF Drama’s “You Can’t Take It with You”, and Katherine Wiley/Harriet Roeder in AKF Drama’s “Radium Girls”. Notable offstage positions include but are not limited to: Production SM, Touring SM, Calling SM, Assistant SM, Audio 2, Electrician, Carpenter, Props Master and Scenic Designer. https://www.instagram.com/high_heels_and_headsets/
David Brown (Jeeves, Aunt Agatha Speaks Her Mind) is thrilled to be in his first show with PMRP. He has recently appeared as Mr. Wormwood in The Footlight Club’s production of Matilda and as Lysander in The Vokes Players’ production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He’s currently a Broadcast Media Technology student at Roxbury Community College. Many thanks to his friends, family and to Julia — so excited to be in our first show together!
Jaimie Carlson (Director / Adaptor, Right Ho Jeeves) immersed herself in studying the psychology of the individual for Right Ho, Jeeves! When not writing or doing Foley for PMRP, Jaimie can be found working as a robotics engineer or reading some improving book. Jaimie would like to thank the cast and crew of this show, who are, to say the least, good-ish eggs. You can catch her evil mirror universe Foley artist in PMRP Star Trek later this May! Tally-ho!
Caroline DeBrota (Aline Hemmingway, Aunt Agatha) returns to the mic in a slightly more demure (but no less devious) role, having last voiced hard-boiled detective Samantha Spade in PMRP’s The Steve Starr Caper (summer 2025). This is her 4th appearance with PMRP and 14th consecutive show with the love of her life, Shawyoun! Outside of the theater, she spends her time scuttling about, crafting, feasting, peaching around, and (if absolutely necessary) working 9-5 as a mechanical engineer. She hopes that the utter silliness and frivolity of these wonderful stories will inspire you to live whimsically, too.
Lauren Elizabeth (Gussie Fink-Nottle, Right Ho, Jeeves) is a multi-hyphenate extraordinaire. By day she works in the tech sector, but by night she dons many hats: actor, circus artist, crafter, and cat mom. She’s excited to be making her PMRP debut, and putting her vocal work on display. Local collaborators include: Esh Circus Arts, Anime Boston, Audeville Society, Fork&Shoe Theatre Collective.
Theresa Griffin (Hortensia Hopwood, Jeeves Takes Charge) is thrilled to be returning for her second performance with PMRP, having previously appeared as Zarova in The Most Dangerous Game. Favorite past performances include Lyubov (The Cherry Orchard) and Big Stone (Eurydice), both with Theatre@First. Offstage, Theresa is a medical writer and childfree cat lady.
Jeremy Holstein (Director/Adaptor) Jeremy and Phoebe began working on their Jeeves and Wooster script during Pandemic lockdown, so he is thrilled to finally put it in front of an audience and hopes you enjoy it! Past shows Jeremy has written for the PMRP include the Sherlock Holmes series, Metropolis, the Duke of Newbury Street, Alice in Wonderland and the Podcast (https://podcast.pmrp.org/). Jeremy is the current Artistic Director of the PMRP.
Alex LaFreniere (Jeeves, Jeeves Takes Charge) is pleased to be returning for his 11th production with PMRP. He has previously appeared in a number of roles in PMRP productions, such as Freder in Metropolis and Detective Nick Charles in “The Thin Man” and “After the Thin Man.” Alex would like to thank his partner Jazz, his family, and his cat Mylo for their unwavering support.
Émile Lewis (ensemble, Aunt Agatha & Right Ho) is a rake, a scoundrel, and a highly coveted party guest. A lifelong PG Wodehouse fan, they were thrilled to be a part of this production. This is their sixth or seventh show with PMRP. Their parents are very proud. Their favourite stage roles to date have been the Invisible Man with PMRP and Sir Joseph Porter, KCB in the MIT Gilbert & Sullivan Players’ production of HMS Pinafore. Émile is the creator of the upcoming audio drama series “Malaika,” due to premiere later this year. They are also one of the cohosts on the Not Even Podcast.
Kate Mahoney (Aunt Dahlia, Right Ho) has performed with PMRP since 2015. Favorite roles include Pauline Savari in two Arsene Lupin mysteries (The Black Pearl and Seven of Hearts), Winifred in The Outcasts (Lest We Forget), Deserta in Metropolis, Paula in Plan 9 from Outer Space, Deirdre in Beyond Grimm, Schwartz in Moriarty Mysteries, Ensemble in Dracula, Turner in A Scandal in Bohemia, and Enfield in Jekyll and Hyde. She also performs at the Vokes Theater, Georgetown Theater Workshop, Hovey Players, Quannapowitt Players, Burlington Players, AFD, Acme Theater and the Concord Players.
Maeve McCluskey (Betty Wooster, Right Ho Jeeves) (they/she) is bally well over the moon to be joining PMRP once again, and especially for a romp as fun as Jeeves & Wooster! It cannot be overstated how honored she is to be bringing the character of Betty Wooster to the PMRP stage, and is thrilled to share with you all of the hard work the cast and crew have put into this show. Previous PMRP credits include Bonny Bellamy in “The Bonny Tales of Captain Bellamy: Song of Trickery“ (Dangerous Adventures!, 2025), Inspector Guild in “The Thin Man” (
Phoebe Roberts (Adapter/Director, Jeeves Takes Charge / Co-adaptor, Aunt Agatha) is a writer and theater artist best known for her Victorian adventure series, Mrs. Hawking, available to watch free online on YouTube. Other works with PMRP include “Murders in the Rue Morgue,” “Mrs. Hudson Investigates,” “The Lost Days of Mrs. Neil,” and “Trifles.” During the day she is a professor of English and writing at several universities in the Boston area.
Karen Sarao (Producer & House Manager) Her very first role with the PMRP was in an episode of X Minus One, “The Junk Yard,” where she played a character that lost her mind. Ten plus odd years later she’s the Producer and House Manager for this fine production as well as the Financial Director of the PMRP, so in many ways it’s safe to say she’s come full circle. She would like to thank the rest of the production team, as well as the other members of the E-board for their support, kindness, and most of all patience. You can catch her Boldly Going this May, in the PMRP’s Gender-Swapped Star Trek production of “Mirror Mirror.”
Kristina Spinney (Maid, Aunt Agatha Speaks Her Mind & Foley, Jeeves Takes Charge) is an actor turned accountant in the live music industry who is thrilled to be returning for her fourth PMRP show after appearing as Mrs. Bunting in The Sea Lady, Natasha in “Bullets Over Boston” and Rainsford in a gender-swapped version of “The Most Dangerous Game” in “Dangerous Adventures”. This is Kristina’s first time performing Foley and she’s had a total blast learning a new skill. She holds a BFA in acting from Salem State University, has produced film festivals, and appeared on sci-fi, horror, and film panels at Arisia. Some other past credits include Maria in West Side Story, Lilli Vanessi in Kiss Me, Kate, Antigone in Antigone, and Penelope Pennywise in Urinetown. Kristina enjoys horror, sci-fi, and fantasy of all types. You can typically find Kristina at a book club, cult cinema night, or dancing at a goth club. LLAP!
Julia Stoddard (Zenobia Hopwood, Jeeves Takes Charge) is excited to be in her second show with PMRP! She previously appeared as Madame Raut in PMRP’s H.G. Wells Production in 2024. Other favorite theater credits include: Elvira in Blithe Spirit at Curtain Call Theatre, Emma Woodhouse (u/s, performed) in Emma: The Musical (Paul Gordon) at Arlington Friends of the Drama, and Dolores / Featured Dancer in The Wild Party (Lippa) at Cue Zero Theatre. Julia is also thrilled to be in a show with her partner David for the first time! She would like to extend a thank you as always to friends and family for their endless support and encouragement of her involvement in the theater, and to Gigi the cat for suffering the late night dinners of tech week. Gigi will start looking me in the eye again any day now! I’m sure of it! She’s got to, right...?
Meg Wickham (Foley Coordinator) is using PMRP as an excuse to buy all the toys sound effects equipment she has longed for. She is not sorry for traumatizing her neighbors and she will find ways to use the Giant Groan Tube of Wanton (Martian) Destruction in more shows.
Jaclyn Wilson (Stage Manager) is back for more hijinks while managing the PMRP stage! You will most often see her during the Spring and Fall when her schedule is less likely to overlap with her other love, softball. Every once in a while you'll even see her on stage instead of behind the scenes, most recently in a few 24-hour shows. She hopes you enjoy all three Jeeves-es and Woosters as much as she does, and that you check out the original short stories sometime as she recalls rather enjoying them a decade or so ago!
Bey Woodward (Foley, Right Ho) would like to thank her husband & family for always supporting her creative endeavors. Bey has previously performed with PMRP but this is her first time doing Foley. She is very excited. Bey has also performed in various Theater@First productions since 2008.
Colin Zachariasen (Edwin Craye/Ruffian #2, Jeeves Takes Charge, Matthew Basset, Right Ho) is in his debut performance with PMRP. He has been seen previously as ensemble in Concord Players’ rendition of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, wherein he played two separate policemen, a card-carrying Bunburyist, and a leering drunkard. He will voice act for you if you pay him, and he will do an impression of Columbo if the mood strikes just right.
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