Double Bill: Private Lives & Hayfever

by Noël Coward, Paul Scofield (Narrator), Peggy Ashcroft (Narrator)

"Private Lives", conceived in Tokyo, written in Shanghai and produced in London in 1930, provided starring roles for Noel Coward and Gertrude Lawrence. Paul Scofield and Patricia Routledge brilliantly recreate Elyot and Amandathe once-married coupe who find themselves in adjacent hotel suites with their new partners on the French Coward's scintillating repartee epitomises all the glamour and sophistication of life between the wars for Society's spoilt darlings. "Hay Fever" is Coward's hilarious classic comedy of a disastrous weekend house party at the home of a famous actress, Judith Bliss (Peggy Ashcroft) and her husband, a well-known writer (Tony Britten). Their wildly ill-assorted guests include Millicent Martin, Julia Foster and Maurice Denham, making up a cast of which The Master himself would have certainly approved.

Genres: Plays

Audio Cassette

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English actor, playwright, and composer of popular music. Among his achievements, he received an Academy Certificate of Merit at the 1943 Academy Awards for "outstanding production achievement for In Which We Serve."

Known for his wit, flamboyance, and personal style, his plays and songs achieved new popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, and his work and style continue to influence popular culture. The former Albery Theatre (originally the New Theatre) in London was renamed the Noël Coward Theatre in his honour in 2006.

Reviews

[Gregg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen Fry and Judi Densch give magnificent performances, as does the entire cast.

[Vicky Rodd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok but not my favourite

[Cherisse · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first Coward. Lots of fun. Now I want to see it on stage as it should be.