Review: If I Were You

If I Were You by P.G. Wodehouse
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The British obsession with class - and the fact that some of the brighter Brits suspected quite early on that nurture was more important than nature in creating any detectable differences between people of different classes - has produced a few comedies with a baby-swap at the centre of the plot. Gilbert and Sullivan have two (HMS Pinafore and The Gondoliers). In the US, Mark Twain did something similar, only with race, in Pudd'nhead Wilson .

Here we have a story where - according to his old nurse - the Earl of Droitwich is not the son of the previous earl, as everyone has always believed, but the son of the nurse, and the man who's grown up as the son of the nurse is not a Cockney barber but the rightful holder of the title. The Family, of course, are outraged; so is the butler, especially since the nurse in question is his sister, and he doesn't fancy calling his young nephew Sid "m'lord". The mercenary Modern Girl who has just got engaged to the man who she thought, at the time, was the earl isn't happy either.

Fortunately, the barber's manicurist, Polly Brown (a name like that in Wodehouse always signals a worthy, sensible girl), suggests that the Claimant should be shown just how much he wouldn't like earling, and the Family begin a campaign along those lines, making him ride, attend highbrow concerts and lectures, and so forth. Meanwhile, Tony, who was previously believed to be the earl, takes over the barbershop, spends time with Polly, and falls in love with her. Hijinks ensue.

The novel was based on a play, written by Wodehouse and his frequent collaborator Guy Bolton, which was never produced; they later adapted the novel into another play titled Who's Who?, which ran for 19 performances. Bolton adapted the play into a musical, Who's Who, Baby?, which was even less successful, running for 16 performances. I'm not sure why audiences didn't take to it; it's a typical Wodehouse bit of fun, with amusing dialog and situations. The novel shows its origins as a play, with limited locations and, occasionally, the feeling that the characters are saying lines to each other rather than conversing, but overall it's a solid piece in the Wodehouse manner, and I enjoyed it.

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