Mr. Fox of Venice
Piccadilly Theatre, London, 1959
Role: William MacFly

Mr. Fox of Venice, by Frederick Knott, is an adaptation of a novel called The Evil of the Day by Thomas Sterling. The book, in turn, is patterned after Ben Jonson's Elizabethan comedy Volpone.

In the play, Cecil Fox (actor Paul Rogers) summons his three former mistresses to his Venetian palazzo for a final visit to his deathbed. William MacFly is the scheming personal secretary and gigolo employed by Fox to lure the women to his estate. Along the way, the comedy turns into a murder mystery. 

Critics praised Jeremy, but were disappointed in the play overall. One noted that despite a first-rate cast and luxurious set, the play descended into a confusing and not very exciting thriller. Nevertheless, one critic noted: "Jeremy Brett as MacFly, along with the rest of the cast, brings distinction to the part."

According to The Brettish Empire, the program for the play said Jeremy is "a young actor with a quite varied experience and a particular flair for the nonchalance essential to this type of part."