The Noel Coward Collection

by Noël Coward Narrated by Annette Bening, Shirley Knight, Full Cast

Overview

Six phenomenally sophisticated Noël Coward comedies:

Fallen Angels: Julia and Fred and Willy and Jane are happily married and the best of friends, until a postcard arrives with news of the imminent arrival of a certain handsome Frenchman.Gay, debonair, and utterly sophisticated. Performed by: Annette Bening, Harriet Harris, Judith Ivey, Joe Mantegna, John Rubinstein and Kristoffer Tabori.

Hay Fever: A country house weekend goes haywire when the guests and their hosts play a game of romantic musical chairs. This witty masterpiece is filled with Coward's biting commentary on his own profession. Performed by: Tate Donovan, Arabella Field, Joy Gregory, Jeffrey Jones, Lynne Marta, Serena Scott Thomas, Carolyn Seymour, Eric Stoltz and Simon Templeman.

Private Lives: On the French Rivera, the lights of a yacht are reflected in the water and in the eyes of four hilariously mismatched lovers. Perhaps Coward's greatest comedy, Private Lives shimmers with romance, desire and bittersweet truth. Performed by: Rosalind Ayres, Marnie Mosiman, Ian Ogilvy, Begonya Piazza and Kristoffer Tabori.

Design For Living: Three terminally stylish friends attempt to uncoil their twisted love triangle in this sexy and scandalous gem. Written in 1932, the play was deemed extremely daring, and is controversial even by today's standards. Performed by: Michelle Arthur, Claire Forlani, Thomas Hildreth, Tim Morrison, Sarah Rafferty, Douglas Weston and Hamish Linklater.

Present Laughter: Stage star Garry Essendine struggles to plan his trip to Africa while his flat is invaded by a love struck ingénue, an adulterous producer, a married seductress, Garry's estranged wife Liz and an aspiring playwright who is quite, quite mad. Performed by: Gregory Cooke, Arthur Hanket, Jon Matthews, Ian Oglivy, Siri O'Neal, Christina Pickles, Carolyn Seymour and Yeardley Smith.

Blithe Spirit: A convivial evening party among friends is transformed when a séance conjures the ghost of Elvira, the host's first wife, who delights in wreaking havoc among the living. An absolutely enchanting Coward comedy. Performed by: Rosalind Ayres, Alexandra Boyd, Judy Geeson, Shirley Knight, Lynne Marta, Christopher Neame and Ian Ogilvy.

Exclusive bonus material: Two rarely-performed shorts by Noël Coward, “Design for Rehearsing” (performed by Michael Gladis, Matthew Wolf and Sarah Zimmerman) and “Age Cannot Wither” (performed by Juliet Mills, Susan Sullivan and JoBeth Williams), as well as two conversations on Coward with Barry Day (Noel Coward Foundation) and John Lahr (The New Yorker).

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

This stellar L.A. Theatre Works collection of full-cast productions of Coward's most famous plays will both delight longtime fans and provide newcomers with a primer to the playwright's work. Featuring Annette Bening, Eric Stoltz, Yeardley Smith, and Shirley Knight, these six plays—Fallen Angels, Hay Fever, Private Lives, Design for Living, Present Laughter, and Blithe Spirit—explore marriage, adultery, love, sex, and relationships, all with Coward's signature light wit and style. Of these compelling, often hilarious productions, Design for Living is a standout, with Claire Forlani (as independent Gilda), Douglas Weston (as the wild and irrepressible Otto), and Hamish Linklater (as suave Leo) demonstrate excellent chemistry and perfect comedic timing. The collection also includes a bonus disc with the rarely performed Design for Rehearsing and Age Cannot Wither. (May)

Library Journal

L.A. Theatre Works revives some of the best works of comedic playwright Coward. This collection contains eight of Coward's plays, including both well-known works such as Blithe Spirit and Hay Fever and lesser-known pieces including Design for Rehearsing and Age Cannot Wither. Many listeners will be impressed (or rattled) by some of the rather risqué topics tackled in Coward's work, given their original publication in the 20th century's earlier half. Regardless, the quality of the cast, director, and sound production make this collection a delight. Additionally, some of the productions, such as Fallen Angels, feature impressive talent, including Annette Bening and Joe Mantegna. Recommended for people who like audio dramatizations, comedies, plays, and live productions.—Lance Eaton, Peabody, MA

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170336296
Publisher:	L.A. Theatre Works
Publication date:	08/25/2010
Edition description:	Unabridged

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