Spirited approach to an old-school choice

FORTY YEARS ON Chichester Festival Theatre

NEW artistic director Daniel Evans begins his tenure at Chichester Festival Theatre with a potentially crowdpleasing if somewhat unadventurous choice. Alan Bennett’s first play, dating from 1968, is a parody of sentimental celebrations of British history — a vision of the nation’s defective memory that’s nevertheless suffused with nostalgia. While parts of it remain poignant and amusing, it risks feeling like a series of clever sketches.

The headmaster of rundown boarding school Albion House is about to retire — an opportunity for a farewell revue packed with innuendo. Richard Wilson occupies this pivotal role, and for now his performance is tentative, with his imperfect command of the lines unbalancing the production.

Otherwise it’s a mix of the spirited and the whimsical. Evans injects a few topical notes and has an impressive sense of scale, embracing the talents of a 52-strong “community ensemble” and some bright youngsters who play the more prominent pupils. The staff are affectionately portrayed, with Alan Cox’s Franklin often at the heart of activity. Meanwhile, as newish teacher Tempest, Danny Lee Wynter has a chameleon’s adaptability and is the comic highlight — not least when appearing to impersonate Downton Abbey’s

Violet Crawley.

Until May 20 (01243 781312, cft.org.uk)