Christine Baranski has opened up about taking on the role of Judith Bliss in Noël Coward’s Hay Fever at Wyndham’s Theatre, describing it as the perfect showcase for her talents at this stage of her career.
Tony Award-winning actress Christine Baranski has revealed what drew her to make her West End debut in Hay Fever – the classic comedy of appalling manners by Noël Coward – as well as how the role of Judith Bliss is “perfect for at my time of life..”
Speaking on the latest episode of the Table Manners podcast with Jessie and Lennie Ware, Baranski shared that the play represents both a personal and professional milestone.
She said playing Judith Bliss – an actress who feels she’s getting old but isn’t quite ready to retire and has one more play left in her – has taken on particular resonance. She said:“This is a real showpiece for an actress, perfect for at my time of life. If this is my last play, it’s the perfect play to say okay, bye.”
Book tickets to Hay Fever here
A perfect vehicle for Baranski’s talents
Judith Bliss is described as a “real showpiece” for an actress – a role that demands comedy timing, theatrical flair and an understanding of Noël Coward’s distinctive wit.
It also offers Baranski the chance to challenge herself in new ways, performing a Coward play in the West End alongside English actors, including Richard E. Grant. “My desire to do this is somehow like a wanting to just enter that terrain of being on the West End with English actors doing a Noël Coward play as an American actress, but just sort of upping my game. So it’s wonderfully challenging,” she highlighted.
Baranski’s experience in theatre gives her the foundation to deliver exactly what the role requires – drawing on decades of stage work alongside her acclaimed TV and film career.
Book tickets to Hay Fever here
Plan your visit to Hay Fever
- Theatre: Wyndham’s Theatre, London
- Booking until: 12 December 2026
- Running time: 2 hours (including interval)
- Age guidelines: Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by and sat next to a ticketholder who is at least 18 years old. Children under the age of 4 will not be admitted.
Wyndham's Theatre, London
Related News
National Theatre Live announces new screenings for 2027 including Hay Fever with Christine Baranski and Richard E. Grant
West End top picks & new London shows in October 2026
Hay Fever reviews: “veeeery odd” to one critic, “cleverly done” to another
See first-look production photos of Christine Baranski and Richard E. Grant in Hay Fever at Wyndham’s Theatre
Latest News
Everything you need to know about The Traitors: Acts of Betrayal in London
Nina Raine’s sweeping new adaptation of Middlemarch arrives at the RSC: See brand-new images from the production
What to expect from Pride the Musical ahead of highly anticipated transfer to the Bridge Theatre
