Present Laughter - A Play - Softcover

Coward, Nol

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0573013543 ISBN 13: 9780573013546

Publisher: Samuel French, 1976

Synopsis

At the centre of his own universe sits matinee idol Garry Essendine: suave, hedonistic and too old, says his wife, to be having numerous affairs. His line in harmless, infatuated debutantes is largely tolerated but playing closer to home is not. Just before he escapes on tour to Africa the full extent of his misdemeanours is discovered. And all hell breaks loose. Noël Coward's Present Laughter premiered in the early years of the Second World War just as such privileged lives were threatened with fundamental social change.

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

A gallery of friends, lovers, relatives and theatre acolytes sparkle around stage star Garry Essendine like bubbles in fine champagne. While Garry struggles to plan his upcoming trip to Africa, his elegant London flat is invaded by a love struck ing nue, an adulterous producer and a married seductress not to mention Garry's estranged wife Liz and the memorable Roland Maule, an aspiring playwright who is quite, quite mad.

"Present Laughter is a very light comedy and was written with the sensible object of providing me with a bravura part."

No l Coward

An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring Gregory Cooke, Arthur Hanket, Jon Matthews, Ian Oglivy, Siri O'Neal, Christina Pickles, Carolyn Seymour and Yeardley Smith.

About the Author:

Noël Coward was born in Teddington, Middlesex, on 16 December 1899. His professional acting career began in 1911 and his writing career in 1918, and in the '50s he became a cabaret entertainer. In later years he lived in Bermuda and Switzerland, where he turned novelist. He was knighted in 1970, and died in Jamaica in 1973.

About this edition

• Publisher: Samuel French
• Publication date: 1976
• ISBN 10: 0573013543
• ISBN 13: 9780573013546
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 156