Still Life

by Noël Coward

Characters: 6 male, 5 female Interior Set One of the Tonight at 8:30 series, a success in London and New York. The movie Brief Encounter was based on this play. In a suburban rail station, Dr. Harvey removes a cinder from Laura's eye and they fall in love. Subsequent weekly meetings over tea, scenes debating respectability or love, and some sentimental moments transpire before they decide they must part forever. He is accepting a faraway post and she must return to a circumspect

Genres: Plays, Drama, Theatre, Fiction

54 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1966

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

[Heba · Rating 4 out of 5]

ألا يراودك الاحساس بالذنب ؟
ولما على احدانا ان يشعر بالذنب ؟
لست أدري ، ولكنه شيء غريزي عندما نسمح لحدوث شيء ما لا ينبغي حدوثه.....
كان لزاماً عليهما أن يفترقا ...لا أدي لماذا صرير عجلات القطار الذي كان يستقله مودعاُ إياها يتردد على مسامعي ، لا يود مغادرتي ...

[Hend · Rating 3 out of 5]

the play about the love affair of Alec and Laura across a twelve-month period.....
Laura Jesson, a housewife, is waiting for her train home after shopping. She is in pain from a piece of grit that has got into her eye. Alec Harvey, a married physician, who is in the refreshment room removes it for her. The next summer, Alec and Laura have met each other a second time by chance and have enjoyed each other's company to the extent of arranging to lunch together and go to the cinema. In October, they are forced to admit that they are in love with each other, and they make arrangements to meet at the flat of a friend of Alec. By December, they are both tortured by guilt and agree that their affair must stop. The following spring, Alec is leaving to work abroad, and Laura comes to see him off but is prevented from giving him the passionate farewell they both yearn because of a talkative friend of hers intrudes into their last moments together, and their final goodbye is cruelly limited to a formal handshake.......and this is the most dramatic scene.....

[Thais · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always liked the movie, so I'm glad to have read the original story. It's short, and sad, and almost bittersweet.

[Cathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

That's it, I'm giving up on reading plays (not including Shakespeare of course!)
I have the DVD of the movie ("Brief Encounter") based on this play to watch this weekend, and hope it is more engaging.

[Paul Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the film. Such a wonderful and concise piece of writing.

[Shimaa abdelrhem · Rating 4 out of 5]

انه ذلك النص الرومانسي الهادئ
الذي يدور ببساطة حول قصة حب اليك و لورا عبر اثنا عشر شهرا خلال اربع فصول السنة
لورا هي ربة منزل متزوجة بسعادة تسافر بالقطار إلى البلدة القريبة مرة واحدة في الأسبوع للتسوق وتغيير كتاب مكتبتها. في أسبوع واحد تحصل على قطعة من الحصى في عينيها من القطار السريع العابر ، وينقذها أليك ، وهو طبيب يزور البلدة كل يوم خميس للعمل في المستشفى. عندما يجتمعون كل أسبوع - أولاً عن طريق الخطأ ، ثم بشكل متعمد - في غرفة المرطبات بالمحطة ، يقعون في حب عميق. لا يقابل شغفهم سوى رعبهم في خيانة عائلاتهم: لا يزالون مستعدين فقط على حافة السعادة.
ثم ياتي الوداع الغير متوقع ذلك الوداع القاصر علي المصافحة الرسمية فقط

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened 7 Noël Coward plays and this was by far my favorite. I knew as I listened that the drama had been made into a very poignant film. It was: Brief Encounter 1945, Stars:Celia Johnson,Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway. Directed by David Lean. It was also made as a TV movie in 1974 starring Richard Burton and Sophia Loren - that one I did not see. Beautiful story. Recommend. Kristi & Abby Tabby

[Anton Segers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coward staat bekend als schrijver van very British comedy, stijlvol, elegant en ‘witty’.
Deze ‘Still Life’ of de filmversie ‘Brief Encounter’ over een overspelige passie in een stationsbuffet steekt daar enorm tegen af: het is verrassend rechtlijnig, emotioneel oprecht en intens ontroerend.
Zit er dan warempel een romantische ziel verborgen achter de ‘stiff upper lip’ - the real Coward?

[وائل المنعم · Rating 2 out of 5]

رغم ان المسرحية في مجملها ليست جيدة لكن بها بعض العناصر الجذابة خاصة على مستوى الحوار وتطور الحبكة، ويبدو ان مشكلة المسرحية تأتي من طبيعتها حيث انها معدة في الاصل لعروض مسرحية محددة وفق برنامج خاص.

[Marcus · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtle, effective drama that beget the classic film Brief Encounter. Sorrow will come in the end.

[Carlotta Mastracchi]

One of the saddest and most beautiful love affairs of modern theatre. I will not budge on this, ever.

[Jemma Love · Rating 4 out of 5]

A core fable told in a terse and devastating but naturally funny style.

[Kales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disgusting, heart breaking, cruel. 10/10

[leni swagger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brief play for a brief encounter? (The joke lacks of foundation and true ingenuity, I know…) Every word I read just made me picture scenes from the movie… Both very good!
My review for “Brief Encounter” on Letterboxd, btw:
“Such a movie wouldn't have worked today, because all the trains are late anyway...”
Gave the film a good 4.5 stars, so you ought to watch it!

[Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bittersweet love story 💔

[Jacob Mellor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite possibly my favourite play ever written on planet earth.