Tag: Sir Noel Coward

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Stream.theatre’s A MARVELLOUS PARTY

A MARVELLOUS PARTY is a celebration of Noël Coward’s words and music, presented by The Noël Coward Foundation and featuring a transatlantic star-studded cast; it is now available on demand.

Approaching the 121st anniversary of his birth (in December) and the 100th anniversary of his first West End production, this production celebrates the wit and artistry of one of the twentieth century’s most enduring characters.

The cast includes Judi Dench, Stephen Fry, Kate Burton, Montego Glover, Derek Jacobi, Josh James, Cush Jumbo, Robert Lindsay, Kristine Nielsen, Bebe Neuwirth, Julian Ovenden, Patricia Routledge, Kate Royal, Emma Thompson, Giles Terera, Indira Varma and Lia Williams performing speeches and songs by the playwright/composer.

A MARVELLOUS PARTY lasts approximately 50 minutes Please Note: you will need to register to access this streaming.

VIEWING PERIOD ENDED

The performance is free to view, with donations encouraged, and all funds going to support the charitable work of Acting for Others. You can donate here.

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Let’s go to the Theatre……in 1981

For the first in a series called The Time Travel Theatre Trip, we are all off to the Vaudeville Theatre in London, in the year 1981, to see a well-cast and entertaining Noel Coward comedy, PRESENT LAUGHTER.

As I remember, John Gale produced the show first at Greenwich Theatre, and then brought it in to the West End for a respectable run which did very good business. The casting is well-nigh perfect in my opinion. Donald Sinden is glorious in full bluster as Garry Essendine; Dinah Sheridan still beautiful and elegant, Gwen Watford always a most respected actress and solid support. And all, of course, happy to be working….

What is particularly eye-catching is that, uncredited on the external advertising, two of the lesser supporting players are omitted; Belinda Lang, still doing sterling work onstage today in 2019, and also one Julian Fellowes. I wonder what happened to him……? (NB He was a delight here as the annoying Roland Maule)

I saw this early in its Vaudeville Theatre run and soon after the BBC cameras came in and recorded it to show as a TV schedule highlight. Back in those days a West End show was occasionally a TV highlight; in the 1960s Brian Rix farces from the Whitehall were a regular Christmas TV event for some years, proving immensely popular with theatre and television audiences.

How did they shoot PRESENT LAUGHTER back then? With the limited technology of 1981, two or three consecutive performances were recorded with cameras sat in the stalls and a couple of side boxes. The best scenes from each performance were then selected to form the eventual broadcast whole.


Anyway, time to sit back, put your feet up, and enjoy going to the theatre in 1981.
Who’s got the popcorn?……..

Part One (runs 1 hour 7 mins)

INTERVAL TIME. Take 15 minutes off to pop to the loo, grab a drink or an ice cream, and get back to your seat in good time. When you are ready, it’s on to…..

Part Two (runs 1 hour 19 mins)

With acknowledgement and thanks to the show’s YouTube poster E.W.R. Many

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Time Travel Theatre: Celebrating Noel Coward’s 120th anniversary- and you’re invited to his 70th birthday!

In celebration of the 120th anniversary of his birthday, let’s remind ourselves of the author, actor and leading light of the English twentieth century stage, Sir Noel Coward (1899-1973).

The above footage was filmed on the occasion of his 70th birthday in 1969, exactly 50 years ago today. Anyone who was anyone in the theatre world paid homage to “The Master” at a gala reception at London’s Savoy Hotel. Sadly the footage has no sound as it was shot for British Pathé News who put a voice-over commentary over the sequences, as was their practice at the time.

So grab some canapes, crack open a bottle of bubbly/prosecco/Vimto/fizzy water, and let’s all celebrate Sir Noel Coward!

BONUS EXTRA

Here’s a clip of Noel Coward a few months later at the 1970 Tony Awards in New York being presented with an honorary Tony Award by the equally legendary Cary Grant.

With thanks to the original YouTube posters, British Pathé and MrPoochsmooch