WHAT'S ON?

These tabbed pages provide the latest information on professional productions, events and the publication of the works of Noël Coward.

Details of venues, dates, associated websites, resources and major reviews are given.

For further reviews go to the Media page.

 

 

 

 

		Design for Living at The Old Vic In September, Anthony Page will direct Noël Coward’s provocative and unconventional romantic comedy, Design For Living, for the first time on the London stage in over 15 years. Coward focuses on three egotistical, beguiling and self-absorbed characters – Gilda, Otto, and Leo – who challenge the moral boundaries of relationships. Anthony Page’s production for The Old Vic will star Tom Burke, Lisa Dillon and Andrew Scott. Design For Living is a co-production with Nica Burns and Max Weitzenhoffer. Runs from 3 September - Press Night 15 September
		Hay Fever Hay Fever, which runs from 28 September to 23 October 2010 (previews from 23 September), will be the Rose Theatre’s ninth home-grown production since it opened in January 2008. Alongside Olivier Award-winner Imrie (recently seen on stage in Plague Over England and The Rivals), who plays Judith Bliss, the cast will feature RSC regular Alexandra Gilbreath as Myra Arundal. Director Stephen Unwin said today: “I’m thrilled to be directing Noël Coward’s great comedy of bad manners, which seems to me one of the most perfectly achieved 20th century English plays. With this production, I want to lay bare the brilliant assault on suburban values that lies at the heart of the play.”

		Nothing known at present...

		Brief Encounter Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) in association with David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers and Cineworld will present Kneehigh Theatre's production of Noël Coward's Brief Encounter, adapted and directed by Emma Rice. Brief Encounter will begin previews on Friday, September 10th, 2010 and open officially Tuesday, September 28th, 2010 at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th Street). This will be a limited engagement through December 5, 2010.

		Nothing known at present...

PRIVATE LIVES South Africa - The Space Theatre, Cape Town – 14/04/09 - 10/05/09 BLITHE SPIRIT Czech Republic: HATA TC touring to venues of 200-250 seats, 30-40 performances per year to 2010 Hungary: Vidám Színpad Co, Budapest and National Theatre, Gyor have it in repertoire. France: a reading in Dominique Deschamps's translation took place under Annick Blancheteau's direction with actor stars Roland Giraud and his wife Maike Jansen. Germany: on tour Hungary: Ida Turay Theatre Co touring to culture houses, theatre halls in the countryside and in Budapest until end 2008; Vidám Színpad Co, Budapest and National Theatre, Gyor have it in repertoire. Slovenia: production in rep in Ljubliana - opened May 2007 (70 performances) Ukraine: production in rep of Dnipropetrovsky State Russian Drama Theatre Italy: Giovanni Lombardo Radice to translate and direct starring either Anna Falchi or Stefania Rocca to ensure national distribution in first class theatres. Planning to open in summer 2008 at the Versiliana Festival and then at Rome’s prestigious Eliseo Theatre France: Theatre Montparnasse interested. Suzanne Sarquier has an excellent translation by Stéphane Laporte entitled L'ART ET LES MANIERES with director Christophe Lidon in tow. As always, the question is the casting. So far, they are waiting for an answer from Elsa Zylberstein, but this could be on for September 2009. HAY FEVER Denmark: production planned autumn 2009 at Copenhagen’s Folketeatret. Sweden: Folmer Hansen PRESENT LAUGHTER Hungary: 600-seat Jatekszin Theatre in Budapest – acclaimed production continues in their repertoire at a rate of 2 to 3 performances per month! Italy: production by La Contrada in Trieste touring from 21 Nov 2008 (Rome 21 Dec – 4 Jan) translated as IL DIVO GARRY by Masolino D'Amico (well known journalist, theatre critic, professor) with Johnny Dorelli as Garry Essendine. This production also to be transmitted on Italian TV. PRIVATE LIVES Brazil: Producer Neusa Andrade’s production in São Paulo still in the pipeline (bureaucratic problems) Argentina: Javier Faroni producing by November 2008 Portugal: Produções Teatrais Próspero opening at Centro Cultural Olga Cadaval, Sintra Sept/Oct, then touring Japan: Toho Co will produce at their new 611-seat Theatre Crea in central Tokyo for the month of October 2008, approx 36 performances – John Caird directing. Denmark: the small Grönnegårds Teatret in Copenhagen plans a production for 2009

STAR QUALITY

Ukraine: Domino Art Co in Kiev has production in repertoire for 5 years

NUDE WITH VIOLIN

Czech Republic: Pardubice Theatre (500 seats) – opening 5/4/09 - 20 performances per year for 2 years

PRIVATE LIVES

Japan: Toho Co produced at their new 611-seat Theatre Crea in central Tokyo for the month of October 2008, approx 36 performances – John Caird directed.
Denmark: the small Grönnegårds Teatret in Copenhagen production current.
Greece: Gloria Theatre, Athens. Oct 2009 - May 2010.
Spain: Mithistorima Produccions presenting 30 Catalan performances at Sala La Planeta.
Germany: current in Hannover.

STAR QUALITY

Ukraine: Domino Art Co in Kiev has production in repertoire for 5 years.

THE VORTEX

Brazil: Peramel Productions; Marília Pêra starring – national tour.

WAITING IN THE WINGS

Hungary: in Budapest’s Madách Theatre's repertoire.
Japan: Kiyama Theatre Productions mounted 28 performances touring outside Tokyo March/April 2008 and 4 performances at Space Zero in Tokyo 18-21/4/08.
Slovakia: Jokai Theater of Komarom, producing Hungarian language production, 20 performances from 31 March 2008.

If you purchased the BBC's Noel Coward Collection a few years ago, then Network's forthcoming release of A Choice Of Coward, featuring four of the the celebrated writer's acclaimed plays, will make a welcome archive companion. It's also interesting to contrast the production, direction and acting decades apart with versions of The Vortex, Blithe Spirit, Present Laughter and Design For Living featuring on both DVD sets.

These four plays, made by Granada and broadcast over a month in 1964 in their Play Of The Week schedule, were slotted into an abundance of one off dramas being produced by the regional ITV companies at the time. Play Of The Week in 1964 not only showcased dramas made by Anglia, Granada and Rediffusion but also mixed highly acclaimed contemporary dramatists with titles from classic literature. 

cathoderaytube.blogspot.com • amazon.co.uk

 

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These three programs trace Noël Coward's life, career and legacy. Part 1: The Boy Actor follows his meteoric rise to international fame at thirty: including how early influences as a young man shaped his works such as Private Lives and The Vortex. Part 2: Captain Coward focuses on his journeys to the Far East with Earl Amherst (which inspired famous songs such as Mad Dogs and Englishmen), as well as entertaining the troops during the war years and films In Which We Serve and Brief Encounter. Part 3: Sail Away follows Coward's cabaret triumphs in London and Las Vegas after the Second World War and his years as a tax exile in Switzerland and Jamaica, right up to his death. His long-term partner, the late Graham Payn shows us around Chalet Coward, and archive film reveals the glamorous poolside lifestyle he enjoyed, as well as his late successes: a cameo performance in The Kitchen, and the musical Sail Away as recalled by its star Elaine Stritch. Nominated for the:1999 Huw Wheldon Award for the Best Arts Programme or Series BAFTA Award
1999 Grierson Memorial Trust.

amazon.co.uk • amazon.com

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Easy Virtue DVD and CD

DVD (Amazon UK) • CD (Amazon UK) • DVD (Released in US on September 15) • CD (Amazon US)

Easy Virtue

Starring Jessica Biel, Kristen Scott Thomas and Colin Firth. Based on a play by Noel Coward. It's the early 1930s. John Whittaker (Ben Barnes), a young Englishman, marries Larita, a sexy and glamorous American (Jessica Biel).

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The Letters of Noël Coward

Paperback (Amazon US) • Paperback (Amazon UK)

Reader's quote from Amazon UK: "Granted, some very fine biographies have been written, those that seem to paint seamless portraits. Yet, for this reader nothing can compare to someone's letters, written with no thought that they will ever be read by anyone save the recipient. These letters are mirrors, if you will, of a person's thoughts and emotions. They are in the person's own words - every adjective, nuance, inflection is his or her choice. And when the choices are Noel Coward's, it is pleasurable reading indeed. "

 

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The Essential Noël Coward Compendium

Noël Coward was a prolific entertainer with over fifty plays and musicals, songs, verse, two and a half volumes of
autobiography, books of quotations, a novel, diaries, and letters to his name. For fans and newcomers to Coward's work, this compendium represents the very best of Noël Coward in one entertaining volume - with extracts from the best scenes from his plays, and screenplays, songs, poems, and a entire short story. Brief extracts are also included from his autobiography, diaries and letters, caricature drawings, photographs, anecdotes and trivia. If you only buy one book on Noël Coward, or do not have time to wade through other more substantial works on his life and times, this book represents an excellent tasting menu for those who want to sample the full flavour of Coward. Review (The British Theatre Guide)

Due out in September 2009• ISBN 978-14081-08697 • Full Price: £16.99

Dick Hyman Plays Weill, Duke, and Coward 

Inner City Records has announced the re-release of three albums by Dick Hyman. Never before available on CD and quite rare even on vinyl, these albums represent some of the earliest recording efforts by a cornerstone of the jazz scene.
These are solo recordings, and demonstrate an inventive, ingenious and playful take on the great composers of the twentieth century.

September Song - The Music of Kurt Weill.
On this first of three records, Hyman plays fourteen Weill songs, including “Speak Low," “Moon-Faced, Starry-Eyed," “This Is New," and “Foolish Heart."

Mad About the Boy - The Music of Noel Coward.
The second album features fifteen songs, including “A Room With A View," “Twentieth Century Blues," and “Dance, Little Lady." This recording garnered a personal postcard from Coward to the performer, calling these takes “delightful."

Autumn in New York - The Music of Vernon Duke.
The final album in this series contains fourteen songs by Vernon Duke, including “I'm Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight," “Cabin in the Sky," “Autumn in New York," and “April in Paris."

When these recordings were made in the early '50s, they were intended to be part of a larger set, featuring the music of the twentieth century's greatest writers of popular song. Though smaller than originally intended, this collection is nonetheless a fitting tribute to three excellent composers, and a fascinating look at the early days of a continually inventive jazz giant.