One of the highlights of our visit to New York City was seeing Keven Kline in one of my favorite Noel Coward plays, Present Laughter. Set in 1939, Keven Kline plays an aging comedy actor. His life is a three-ring circus of humor. His secretary, Monica (Kristine Nielsen), the wife of his business partner, Joanna Lyppiatt (Cobie Smulders), Kline’s character’s wife, Liz Essendine (Kate Burton), and a talented cast swirl around Kline as he prepares for a trip to Africa. I’ve read Present Laughter but had never seen it performed before this. The sold-out St. James Theatre rocked with laughter as Coward’s play unleashes its wit and cleverness. Present Laughter is the best play I’ve seen in a decade. GRADE: A
If you want to listen to an entertaining audio version of Present Laughter you might want to check out the box set of Coward’s plays here.
Sounds delightful!
Dan, I’m a big Noel Coward fan. This revival of PRESENT LAUGHTER features a terrific performance by Kevin Kline. The excellent cast produces plenty of laughs.
True. We’ve seen 10 plays on and off Broadway in the three months since we got back from Florida, and this one was the best, hands down. It was also the best of the three times we’ve seen it – the others starred Donald Sinden (London, 1981) and Victor Garber (Broadway, 2010, a very lackluster production).
Jeff, this version of PRESENT LAUGHTER with Kevin Kline earns top grades from me (and Diane). It’s witty, funny, and well performed by the talented cast!
This is one I would have loved to see. So glad you enjoyed it.
I just finished an audio of Hay Fever, the one mentioned in the link to Coward’s plays. I enjoyed it, but it’s frustrating to only have the audio and not to see the visuals with it. It’s funny, but I had to keep checking the cast list as Seymour sounded to me like Christina Pickles.
Maggie, in that audio set I recommended, several “name” actors can be heard. It’s not as good as seeing the play live, but it’s the next best thing.
Maggie, we saw HAY FEVER at the historic Gate Theatre on our only trip to Dublin in 1981. We saw it again in London, in 1999, with Stephen Mangan and Geraldine McEwan. I don’t have any memory of that production at all. I love McEwan and the Savoy Theatre, where it played, is great, located under the famous hotel. You have to walk down several flights to the theatre. Ten years later we saw Mangan in the starring role in THE NORMAN CONQUESTS on Broadway.
Jeff, I liked the fact that PRESENT LAUGHTER was playing one block away from the Westin. A short, 5-minute walk and we were there!
You have amazing theater memories, J&J!
I’m looking forward next year to the harry potter show Beth is up for the trip. Maybe Margaritaville will be there then, though I don’t think Beth will want to see that. I want to see it to compare the staging.
If anyone is interested in the hay fever audio, let me know quick
George: I like the Marriott Marquis. I saw Drowsy Chaperone there when I went to thrillerfest there, before I moved to the conv. hotel, the hyatt regency.
Jackie has me convinced to be a Marriott fan! I should have enough points for at least 3-4 free nights next summer!!
Maggie, we’re going to be staying in a Marriott for the October wedding. Diane has several hotel reward cards. We usually just go with the best deal.
New computer arrived. Hip deep in setup bullshit.
Six hours of which is enough for today!! Plus the carpet cleaning guy came this morning and the cat is totally freaked. What a day, with more to come…so many adjustments to make.
Rick, congratulations on the new computer. Of course, there’s always a learning curve.
It’s not so much “learning” as it is setting up the damn network. Until the new iMac came, and the new Airport router, the laptop upstairs would print remotely to the printer downstairs. Now, no. The answer is buried somewhere deep in the settings. Sheesh.
Rick, upgrades like yours are always painful. Art Scott bought a new computer (and printer) recently. He had a few problems, but managed to get just about everything working right.