THE NEWSLETTER OF THE NOËL COWARD SOCIETY - JUNE 2010 Free to members of the Society Price £2 ($4)

President: HRH The Duke of Kent, KG, GCMG, GCVO, ADC Vice Presidents: Barry Day OBE • • Tammy Grimes • CBE New Noël Coward Award, Kneehigh’s Brief Encounter returns to New York and Celia Imrie in Hay Fever at The Rose, Kingston-upon-Thames

n October 29, 1951 Noël Coward made his debut as a cabaret entertainer at the Café de in . This successful engagement was followed by appearances there for the next three years. A new career was now added to his already Ostaggering list of achievements. His reputation as a cabaret entertainer was firmly established forever when in June of 1955 he made his triumphant appearance in Las Vegas at the Desert Inn. Following the death of the legendary cabaret performer, Mabel Mercer in 1984, The Mabel Mercer Foundation was formed in 1985 by her close friend and associate Donald Smith to keep her memory alive and to stimulate and promote public interest in the world of cabaret. In 1999 the Foundation presented the all-star Gala at celebrating Noël Coward’s 100th birthday. This year, for the first time there will be a presentation of the annual Noël Coward Cabaret Award, which is a grant of $5,000 funded by The Noël Coward Foundation . As Coward was a cabaret performer, it is the intention of the From the Ritz to the Anchor and Crown, Foundation that this award should encourage cabaret at the , London performers in keeping Coward’s musical legacy alive. The award will be administered by The Mabel Mercer Foundation. On May 27, 2010, at the National Arts Club in , Donald Smith presented to an invited audience, eleven performers competing for the Noël Coward Cabaret Award. Each contestant sang two songs written by Coward, which presented the special challenge of capturing the sophistication in his lyrics as well as doing justice to his music. The audience included Noël Coward Foundation Trustees, Barry Day , Geoffrey Johnson , and Alan Pally . The performers were judged by a panel comprised of cabaret writer and critic, Elizabeth Ahlfors , television producer, Alyce Finell , composer and arranger, Mark Hummel , cabaret performer, Andrea Marcovicci , singer and pianist, Steve Ross , actress, Marian Seldes , producer, Frank Skillern and radio and television host, Midge Woolsey . After nearly an hour of deliberation, the judges he sub-title for the delightful Coward entertainment presented by announced the winner. The competition was won by our younger members at on May Day bank holiday rising young soprano, Jennifer Sheehan . Her two Twas ‘ The Tots take on the Master ’. But in fact there is no musical selections were ‘Mad About The Boy’ and ‘Here disparity between their ages. They are the same age as Coward was And Now.’ Continued on Page 3... when he shot to fame in his early twenties. And some of his finest work was written before he was thirty. I recently learnt, for example, that Hay Fever was written before . It was only after the success of The Vortex that Hay Fever was able to be staged, and immediately it became a classic. We need not question therefore the popularity of Coward among the young. There is an essential kindred of youthful spirits leaping back across the generations. The director and MC, Rebecca Hamway , began the evening, stepping into the spotlight in white tie and tails. She sang ‘Bad Times’ with a panache reminiscent of Coward’s friend . Miss Hamway has piercing black eyes set in an attractive angular face. Her eyes could clearly be seen from the back of the stalls – a litmus test for an actor with presence. and Gerry Howell performed an interesting and Barry Day, Jennifer Sheehan and Donald Smith original take on the situation Elyot and Amanda are catapulted into Report on the NCS visit to at the - Saturday matinee, 17 April 2010 • Page 4 in the first act of Private Lives . They made it modern and contemporary. You could easily imagine that incendiary coincidence happening in 2010, not just in the world as it was eighty years ago. Joanna Hollister sang ‘I’ll Follow My Secret Heart’ with a poignancy which won an instant response from the audience. Charlotte Hamblin got ‘A Marvellous Party’ spot-on with her voice, gestures and dress: a denizen of the champagne society of the inter-war years. Alexander Williams sang ‘Poor Little Rich Girl’ with firm control and authority. Lizzy Barber ’s splendid telephone monologue ‘ Early Morning ’ portrayed a newly widowed young socialite, not too concerned that her husband had met a watery grave jumping off Waterloo Bridge the night before, but more anxious to fix up a gossipy lunch with her friends at a smart Mayfair restaurant. Funny, brittle and, if you like, callous; vintage Coward satire brought sparklingly to life by Miss Barber. Rebecca Hamway launched with immense zest into Coward’s vitriolic burlesque of the Sitwells: ‘ The Swiss Family Whittlebot ’(you could still relish it without knowing its target). It was the first time I had seen it performed, and it was terrific. The sketch led to a prolonged deadly enmity between Edith Sitwell and Coward – though Barry Day’s recent books have shown that they did finally make up. ‘Twentieth Century Blues’ truthfully hit the darker tones of the 1930’s when they had barely begun, and Aruhan Bisengalieva did full justice to the song’s bleak, almost nihilistic message. John Osborne’s play ‘ The Entertainer ’ is incidentally very similar in spirit, though he and Kenneth Tynan could not see this in the 1950’s. And Coward’s play ‘ Post Mortem ’ (1930), though not well constructed, is a more savage piece of social criticism than ‘ Look Back in Anger ’. (In my view, Coward’s lethal attack on a thinly disguised British press baron in Post Mortem was the source of Lord Beaverbrook’s vendetta against him. There were other reasons later.) Martin Milnes is a one-off. He sang a medley of Coward songs, first in a startling soprano (this from ‘ Bitter Sweet ’), then others in a resonant baritone, which had the audience in stitches. His fast movements were like a controlled whirling dervish, and his dramatic, flamboyant posture at the climax of ‘Nina – from Argentina (Argen-TEE-NA!)’ earned him a storm of applause. Isabelle Schoelcher , another performer possessed of flashing dark eyes and mobile features, delivered with considerable attack Coward’s devastating satire on – I am sure – Diaghilev. This was clearly iconoclastic at the time when you were supposed to genuflect before the Ballet Russe. But how refreshing that Coward ridiculed it, and how well Miss Schoelcher realised his intentions. (‘ Introduction to an Absurdist Ballet ’). The talent and intelligence of Elizabeth Donnelly are already well known to Society members who saw her in Private Lives at Trinity College, Cambridge last year. She and Giselle Gant gave hugely enjoyable performances as the vaudeville couple in Red Peppers – their frolics on the boards contrasted with the bickering reality backstage. The last item ‘Mad About the Boy’ was a rousing finale by several of the cast, bringing the audience in to sing ‘Mrs Worthington’. Our Chairman, Barbara Longford , with her customary generosity and style, thanked all concerned most warmly. She welcomed special guests Alan and Alison Brodie and explained how, as Chairman of the Noël Coward Foundation, Alan had done so much to encourage and help drama students. Barbara urged more young people to join NCS, with an annual fee of only £5 for those under the age of 30. She presented Musical Director, Richard Bates , with a gift from Society members. Dominic Vlasto then made a presentation to Rebecca Hamway and stressed the continuing enthusiasm for Noël Coward around the world. He and Barbara also welcomed Sue Vaccaro , the New York theatre producer, attending as a And of course, the audience was captivated by the guest of Edgar Astaire . Sue is staging a new musical in London next year vital work of the show’s musical director, Richard and was later asked if the talent on show that evening was up to her Bates . professional standards. She answered with an emphatic ‘Yes’. Stuart Griffiths The programme also gave thanks for all their help to Barbara Longford, (Member Stuart Griffiths is a former Senior Script Denys Robinson, Dominic Vlasto, Joanna Benecke and Alan Brodie. Editor of Classic Plays in BBC Television )

Page 2 ...continued from Page 1 Stephen Unwin to direct Celia Imrie She is a graduate of The of Music and in addition to presenting her own cabaret act in New York, she in HAY FEVER At The Rose, has performed in the Christmas show at Radio City Music Opens Sept 23 Hall. The Rose Theatre has announced that Stephen Unwin will Other highlights include appearing in the Lyrics and direct Noël Coward's Hay Fever with a cast that includes Celia Lyricists series at the 92nd Street Y and as a guest artist in Imrie in the role of Judith Bliss and as Michael Feinstein’s Standard Time concert series at Carnegie Myra Arundal. Hall. The production will run from 23 September - 23 October. Two runner-ups were also chosen. The first was Nicholas King , an 18-year old newcomer to cabaret, who sang ‘A Room Director Stephen Unwin said With A View’ and ‘You Were There.’ “I'm thrilled to be directing Noël Coward's great comedy of The second was Sidney Myer , a notable cabaret performer, bad manners, which seems to me one of the most perfectly who presented ‘Men About Town’ and ‘A Bar On The Piccola achieved twentieth century English plays. With this production, Marina.’ I want to lay bare the brilliant assault on suburban values that Other contestants performing songs by Coward were Joyce lies at the heart of the play. Celia Imrie is perfect casting for Breach , Carole Bufford , Judy Butterfield , Kevin Dozier , the outrageous Judith Bliss, and it's a real pleasure to be Stearns Mathews , Sarah Rice , Anne Steele , and Lumiri Tubo . working with Alexandra Gilbreath again (she was awarded the The performers were accompanied by prominent pianists from Ian Charleson Award for her with me at the the cabaret scene, Nate Bucierri , David Budway , Kenny Donmar in 1998). ” Davidson , James Followell , James K. Mitchell , Alex Rybeck , Eric Sedgwick , and Ronny Whyte . Hay Fever will be the Rose Theatre's ninth home-grown All three winners will be presented at the 21st Annual New production since it opened in January 2008. York Cabaret Convention which will be held October 7 – 9, Celia Imrie is an Oliver award-winning actress and 2010 at Jazz at in the Time Warner building at comedienne, widely known for her work on stage ( Plague Columbus Circle in New York. Over , The Rivals ) on television ( Dinner Ladies , The The Friday, October 8th performance which is titled If Love Darling Buds of May ) and in film ( , Bridget Were All: Celebrating the Timeless Words and Music of Noël Jones' Diary ). Coward will be hosted by Tony and Emmy winner Elaine Celia will be joined by Alexandra Gilbreath who will play Stritch , who starred in the original Broadway production of Myra Arundal. Alexandra has work extensively for the RSC Noël Coward's Sail Away. including , Merry Wives - The Musical and The Ken Starrett Tamer Tamed .

Brief Encounter opening at Further casting to be announced. Studio 54 in New York Stephen Unwin is Artistic Director of the Rose. His recent The Roundabout Theatre Company in association with productions include Miss Julie , A Christmas Carol and The David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers and Cineworld presents Winslow Boy . Kneehigh Theatre’s production of Noël Coward’s Brief Stephen founded English Touring Theatre in 1993 and Encounter , adapted and directed by Emma Rice . directed almost thirty productions of new and classical work Brief Encounter will open at Studio 54 on 28 Sep 2010, for the company both on tour and in the West End. following previews from 10 Sep, playing a limited engagement Simon Higlett through to 5 Dec 2010. will return to the Switching seamlessly between theatre and film using a Rose as set combination of Coward's original stage play Still Life and the designer. Paul screenplay of Brief Encounter Emma Rice, Kneehigh's Artistic Pyant will join the Director, takes you back to a bygone age of romance and the team as lighting silver screen from the moment the commissionaire opens the designer, Corin doors. Buckeridge as The lives and loves of three couples are played out in the composer and famous station tearoom using the words and songs of Noël Ginny Schiller is Coward. casting director. Kneehigh Theatre's Brief Encounter played a sold out run at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, NY and has also played Box Office 0871 critically acclaimed engagements at ACT and the Guthrie 230 1552 Theater. Brief Encounter played at London's Cinema (operated by SEE Haymarket in 2008, and earned Emma Rice a nomination for Tickets) the 2009 Olivier Award for Best Director. Groups hotline 0844 412 4650 The cast will be announced shortly. Celia Imrie The design team includes: Neil Murray (Sets & Costumes), Malcolm Rippeth www.rosetheatrekingston.org (Lights), Simon Baker (Sound) and Gemma Carrington & Jon Driscoll (Projection). Page 3 Private Lives at the Vaudeville Theatre - Saturday matinee, 17 April 2010 iven a heavily booked 10 week run, our chairman which could win him Barbara Longford was clever to secure 50 centre yet another GStalls seats at a good discount for almost the last nomination for Best Saturday matinee of this starry production of Private Lives at Costume Design; the Vaudeville in London. these included a Eight decades since the play’s first metropolitan airing at saucy, shoulder- the Phoenix Theatre, ’s magnificent revival revealing white proves that Coward’s enduring comedy remains as fresh as if it bath-towel for her were written yesterday, notably his casual candour about the first entrance and a turbulent tug of sexual attraction — the passion, the hate, the chic, close-fitting love and the lust — which he overlaid with some of his blue ‘costume’ for wittiest, most amoral lines of dialogue. day wear, on the Softy that I am, I brushed a tear away during those first-act morning after the overtures between Amanda and Elyot, newly honeymooning on fight of the night a hotel balcony in Deauville — but not with each other — in before. part perhaps because their life changing emotions were But this is not just concealed by essentially melancholy if sophisticated banter, but a two-hander. Indeed also the nostalgia of hearing Noël and Gertie’s familiar words as as Amanda... on the balcony. spoken by new and very different voices. Amanda’s pompous Picture then the second-act scene in Amanda’s Paris flat on bridegroom Victor, the Avenue Montaigne — given an excruciatingly elaborate goes quite some way towards making his blustering stuffed art-deco design by Rob Howell . Newly-married to other shirt the production’s most memorable comic performance: people, the runaway lovers have now spent a week together, deploying impeccable English decorum while retrieving his renewing their long-ago broken vows in the only way they sharply-creased trousers from under the grand piano lid, used know how — squabbling and loving with an equally fierce and as an overnight trouser press; or hilariously shaping up to overwhelming intensity. cudgel with Elyot then nervously retreating when things Between their healing cries of ‘sollocks’, they light endless promise to turn nasty. cigarettes, sing and dance, down brandy by the bottleful while Lisa Dillon as Elyot’s clinging, child bride Sybil has fewer upping the sexual tension to breaking point. No wonder then opportunities to shine but she gives a telling portrayal of a that Kim Cattrall ’s enchanting Amanda finally breaks the truce pretty, pert girl who in the closing moments, confronting an as she smashes a gramophone record (shellac of course) over equally angry Victor, reveals herself as a bitchy scold, a the head of ’s suavely macho Elyot. spiteful creature that Elyot was lucky to have left in the lurch. What follows, while completely trashing the set, including I should also add that Caroline Lena Olsson as the laconic a triple-decker goldfish bowl, is the most bruising fight I have French maid Louise wins one of the play’s loudest laughs seen on any stage, choreographed by Alison de Burgh to when, complete with a bag of breakfast brioche, she stumbles within an inch of actual bodily harm, all this at a Saturday over the debris in the darkened room, exclaiming (if you will matinee with another ding-dong to follow just a few hours pardon her French): “ Merde! ” This in fact is a line not actually later. written by Coward After the show, and at the legendary Joe Allen’s restaurant but one he would for an early dinner, Society members were questioning whether surely have enjoyed MacFadyen, with his tough, no-nonsense style of delivery, was adding to the script quite the right choice to play Coward’s own role of Elyot. But had he not been up most press reviews expressed no such doubts and on the first against the Lord night Ms Cattrall was Chamberlain’s office. reported to be full of praise I am happy to for her leading man — extend members’ especially his manly ability to thanks to Barbara pick her up bodily and hurl Longford for her her down on to a soft circular excellent post-show ottoman at the start of their dining arrangements at Joe Allen’s, including placing our brawl! French representative Hélène Catsiapis (that formidable I am also happy to defer Parisian expert of English theatre) where she could give those to my Critics’ Circle nearby tantalising hints of a Coward weekend at Deauville in colleague Charlie Spencer the summer of 2011, still in the early planning stages but neatly who discovered between linked to the first act setting for Private Lives . Kim Cattrall and Matthew MacFadyen these two “ a palpable sexual Incidentally, for those intrigued by this review, I should chemistry ” which of course is mention that Richard Eyre’s production of Private Lives closed essential to making the play work. on Saturday 1st May. But I fervently hope that someone MacFadyen portrays Elyot as a cool, muscular hunk with somewhere has archived a video version of his innovative an acidly amusing turn of phrase, while her Amanda is warm, staging if only for the benefit of future Noël Coward worldly and wicked, an alluring figure with a voice to match, researchers. John Thaxter in the superbly cut gowns designed for her by Howell and (NCS member John was a past theatre critic for the Richmond & Twickenham Times ) Page 4 Coward on the Coast An Academy Salute to Noël Coward the state-of-the-art Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood: Brief Encounter and In Which We Serve on Saturday night; and on April 16 - April 18, 2010 Sunday, rare footage from 1929 of Bitter Sweet , followed by in . Expanding on the theme of Star o celebrate the closing weekend of Star Quality: The World Quality, let me write those six little words we’ve all fantasized of Noël Coward in Beverly Hills, the Academy of Motion saying, “I’d like to thank the Academy …” TPicture Arts and Sciences (A.M.P.A.S.®) presented An In this case, many thanks to the Academy and to their film Academy Salute to Noël Coward, a three-day celebration of restoration colleagues at BFI (the ), not The Master and his works; an extra bonus was a screening of only for their abundant and glorious Arts (anagram of Star), but Camera Three’s Mad About the Boy at the Paley Center for also for their Sciences (and technologies) that enable a kind of Media. An Academy Salute featured three evenings of film time travel. The audience experienced the films as they were screenings and special programs in two of AMPAS’s movie seen 65 to 80 years ago, as the filmmakers intended, only bet - palaces in Southern California. Held in the Samuel Goldwyn ter due to the visual brilliance of the restored films combined Theater in Beverly Hills, Friday night’s program, A Noël with the high-tech perfection of both image and sound quality Coward Evening, included a charming introduction by host in the Academy’s “reference standard” screening venues. Spe - Stephen Fry, a surprise videotaped interview with Ronald cial thanks to Ellen Harrington and the staff of AMPAS for this Neame, and a live performance by L.A. Theatre Works, wonderful exhibition and for their kindness to NCS members followed by the Oscar-winning “Best Picture of 1932-33”: who attended the festivities! Seeing Coward’s film creations in Cavalcade. Saturday and Sunday’s screenings took place in superb restorations was an exceptional treat.

proximately 12-foot tall figures flanking the stage: replicas of A Noël Coward Evening: Hosted by the Oscar statuette known round the world. It was enormously gratifying to see a capacity crowd of 1,000 (yes, one thousand) Stephen Fry patrons filling the theater. AMPAS Director of Exhibitions and Friday, April 16, 2010 Special Events Ellen Harrington introduced Stephen Fry, who To enter the Academy Headquarters and visit the gorgeous gave a detailed, personal, sincere, and hilarious introduction to Samuel Goldwyn Theater, audience members must first pass the life and works of Noël Coward. through a security check (no cameras/recording devices, no Stephen next pre - food or drinks — not even water — are allowed in the theater.) sented a video of his The Goldwyn Theater is on the second floor of the AMPAS recent interview with building; Star Quality is on the fourth floor, which meant lots 100-year-old British of elevator trips for the masses of people who wanted to see film legend, Ronald everything. Neame, who worked with Coward on Star Quality: Extended Hours. From 6:00 to 7:30 pm, an many projects, in - entranced crowd viewed the Exhibition Star Quality in the cluding as writer for Fourth Floor Gallery, while Stephen Fry and actors from L.A. three of the films Theater Works prepared downstairs for their performances. presented during the weekend: Brief En - counter , In Which We Serve , and Blithe Spirit .

Two Sketches by L. A. Theater

Works (LATW) L. to R. Oscar®, Stephen Fry. After the video, Photo courtesy of AMPAS. Stephen introduced L. A. Theater Works, described the live recording process for which we were the live audience, and gave tips on laughing heartily so you could hear yourself when you listened to the recording later on. Directed by Brendon Fox, LATW actors presented wonderful comedic readings of two sketches, Design for Rehearsing and Age Can - L. to R. Matthew Wolf, Sarah Zimmerman, Stephen Fry, not Wither, both of which are included in Barry Day’s The Noël Juliet Mills, Susan Sullivan, Michael Gladis, Jobeth Coward Compendium (available now in the U.K., coming this Williams. Photo courtesy of AMPAS. autumn to bookstores in the U.S.A.)

Design for Rehearsing. Coward’s Design for Rehearsing Stephen Fry, Host. The Goldwyn is an impeccably clean, pokes gentle fun at the creative process and perpetually dra - elegant, well-proportioned theater — all wine-red curtains and matic personalities of Coward himself, , and Al - velvet ropes with an awe-inspiring screen that dwarfs the ap - fred Lunt as they rehearse for the 1933 debut of Design for Page 5 Living . The characters evoke Gary Essendine in Present while the credits were rolling. It was quite a thrill to see this Laughter , who is “always acting, always watching myself go beautiful film on the really big screen. by.” Coward himself was pleased with the film; in 1941, he commented, “Of all my plays only one, Cavalcade , has been filmed with taste and integrity.” It was most fitting and pleas - ing to view this dazzling restoration (print courtesy of the Academy Film Archive and 20th Century Fox) in the elegance of the Goldwyn Theater. For more comments on this spectacular evening, see the blog by Cindy Marie Jenkins: bitter-lemons.com/2010/04/my-eening-with-Noël-coward-stephen-fry/

Double Features at the Linwood Dunn Theater Saturday and Sunday, April 17 - 18, 2010 AMPAS presented Saturday and Sunday’s screenings in the beautiful “gold standard” for film-viewing technology, the Lin - L. to R. Michael Gladis (Alfred), Sarah Zimmerman wood Dunn Theater at the Mary Pickford Center. Both nights, (Lynn), and Matthew Wolf (Noël). Photo courtesy of the 286-seat house was nearly full, the audience a blend of AMPAS. Coward experts, celebrities, fans, and film aficionados. All ap - preciated being able to view fantastic quality films in a setting Age Cannot Wither. Coward’s last, unfinished work Age far superior to today’s often sadly grungy multiplex theaters. Cannot Wither (begun in 1967) depicts a reunion of three 60- As on Friday, rounds of applause and cheers acknowledged the ish school chums, boozily reminiscing while waiting for a creative team and the most remarkable moments in each film. luncheon that never materializes. Who knew that pondering life and death could be so funny? Linwood G. Dunn , A.S.C. (1904 - 1998) was an Academy Award-winning pioneer of visual special effects in motion pic - tures and inventor of related technology. Dunn worked on many films and TV shows that have helped to shape and define the history of American pop culture, including the original 1933 King Kong, Citizen Kane , and Star Trek . Mr. Dunn would most likely have been quite pleased that the grand finale of An Academy Salute to Noël Coward was Blithe Spirit , for which Thomas Howard received an Academy Award in 1946 for Special Effects.

Brief Encounter (1945) and In Which We Serve (1942) Saturday, April 17, 2010 The fineness of the prints (restored by BFI) for these emo - tionally moving and complex films is matched only by the cap - tivating performances of the actors — another fruitful marriage of Arts and Sciences. Interesting to note are two of many par - L. to R. Juliet Mills (Naomi), Susan Sullivan (Judy), and allels in the films: the structure — a series of flashbacks that Jobeth Williams (Stella). Photo courtesy of AMPAS. drive the narrative — and romance fueled and foiled by the railway: the honeymoon compartment and the steaming loco - About LATW . Founded in 1974, the mission of L.A. The - motives bringing together then separating lovers. One actor atre Works (LATW) is to enrich the cultural life of the national appeared both live on Friday night in Age Cannot Wither and community through use of innovative technologies to produce on screen in In Which We Serve : LATW star Juliet Mills , who and preserve significant works of dramatic literature on audio, in 1941 played Freda’s baby. and to assure the widest public access to these great works. For more on LATW, see: www.latw.org/ . Note for film buffs : all the films mentioned (except Bitter Sweet) are described in Barry Day’s comprehensive book Cow - ard on Film: The Cinema of Noël Coward (Scarecrow Press, Cavalcade Inc., 2005), which provides excellent synopses, background, An Evening with Noël Coward culminated in the 1932-33 cast lists, and behind-the-scenes notes — plus a generous col - Best Picture winner Cavalcade , based on Coward’s smash lection of movie stills and candid photos. 1931 London theatrical production. Friday night’s audience — including a good number of entertainment professionals — Bitter Sweet (1929) and Blithe Spirit (1945) gasped at the size of the cast for the stage play: 400 perform - Sunday, April 18, 2010 ers, almost unimaginable in the business of show business today. From the moment the film began, the audience was Bitter Sweet. Introduced eloquently by Exhibition guest most appreciative, applauding wonderful performances, scenes, curator Brad Rosenstein, this was the second screening of rare, and songs during the film, as well as cheering for individuals newly reassembled footage of Bitter Sweet (filmed during Noël Page 6 Coward’s 1929 production at His Majesty’s Theatre, London); A Marvelous Party Opens at Center REP the first screening was August 19, 2009 at the Museum of Per - formance & Design in . Poignantly, the film May 20, 2010 footage — although lovingly assembled and of historical inter - Led by audience favorites Carl Danielsen and Mark Anders, est — will require a sizeable investment of time and money to Center REPertory Company presents this energetic musical compare in visual impact to the other perfectly-restored films from May 20 through June 26 in The Lesher Center for screened by AMPAS. Visual imperfections notwithstanding, the Arts in Walnut Creek, California. The multi-talented Bay the music, the performances, the romance, and the humor were Area favorite Molly Bell joins the cast for this production. all top notch (‘Green Carnation’ reliably brings down the Back issues of Home Chat (October 2008 and August 2009) in - house.) clude reviews of earlier fine productions from Seattle to Florida of A Marvelous Party with Danielsen and Anders. Alan Blithe Spirit. After the black-and-white world of the other Farley’s radio program, broadcast on May 27 on KALW (91.7 films, the Technicolor palette of Blithe Spirit was a bit of a FM), includes an interview about Center REP’s Production. jolt. (See the AMPAS web site for a good look at Elvira’s green face.) Had it been colorized? Most emphatically, no. A Marvelous Party Quoting from Coward on Film , “The film version was made in May 20 – June 26, 2010 Technicolor by Cineguild for Two Cities in 1944/5....” In spite Center REPertory Company of cuts and changes in the adaptation from the play to the Lesher Center for the Arts screenplay — most notably, the ending — the film was charm - 1601 Civic Drive ing, the print (courtesy of the British Film Institute and MGM) Walnut Creek, CA 94596 a technical marvel, and the young-ish Margaret Rutherford a 925-943-7469 particular delight (although I kept seeing a nascent Miss www.centerrep.org/season0910/amarvelousparty.php Marple in her rather over-hearty Madame Arcati).

Videos of Star Quality and An Academy Salute AMPAS taped both the Exhibition and the April 16 th pro - gram, An Evening with Noël Coward , which includes Stephen Fry’s interview with Ronald Neame. Although DVD’s will not be for sale, you may view them in the public access viewing room at the Pickford Center in Hollywood. To make an ap - pointment for viewing, call the AMPAS Film Archive’s public access coordinator at 310-247-3000. In addition, AMPAS has prepared a transcript, located in their library collection at the Fairbanks Center in Beverly Hills. For a nice photo montage and details about the weekend’s events, see the AMPAS web Page: www.oscars.org/eventsexhibitions/events/2010/coward.html

Noël Coward on Television The Young Idea Project, A six-part series at The Paley Center for Media Phase II: July 2010 (Beverly Hills) Antaeus Academy in a New Adaptation of: Camera Three Peace in Our Time Mad About the Boy / Noël Coward: A Celebration The Noël Coward Foundation has awarded a second year of April 14 - 18, 2010 grant funding for The Young Idea , a project of The Antaeus The sixth in the series of screenings of Noël Coward on Tel - Company of North Hollywood. Antaeus will be presenting a evision , this two-part tribute — described by the New York new adaptation by Project Mentor Barry Creyton of Coward’s Times as “marvelously witty and entertaining” — features per - seldom-performed play Peace in Our Time , with a cast featur - formances by George Rose, Jean Marsh, , and ing Antaeus Company members Josh Clark, Lily Knight, Kristoffer Tabori in scenes from favorite Coward plays, recit - Melinda Peterson and Philip ing verse and quips, and singing beloved tunes. (1976; 55 min - Proctor along with a dozen utes). Camera Three —a Sunday morning television program young Academy actors, directed broadcast on CBS from 1956 to 1979, then on PBS for an addi - by Jessica Bard. tional year — showcased drama, ballet, art, and music. Australian-born actor, direc - tor, and playwright Barry Crey - Rebecca Faez, Director of Administration & External Rela - ton lived in London during tions at the Paley Center, has indicated interest in providing fu - 1967-77, playing in comedy, ture screenings of Coward’s work. If you have suggestions dramatic roles and revue in the about sponsorship for a screening, please contact Rebecca at West End. Since 1989, he has 310-786-1030 or [email protected] . worked almost exclusively in the United States, one notable ex - ception being his return to Syd - Barry Creyton Page 7 ney to direct and star in his own play Valentine’s Day at the "The King of Cabaret" Steve Ross ; radio broadcasts on KALW Marian Street Theatre. by Alan Farley and L.A. Theater Works; the six-week, six-part Barry writes about his connection with Coward and about series Noël Coward on Television at the Paley Center for the process of adaptation: “My devotion to the work of Noël Media; Easy Virtue both as a new movie by Stephan Elliott Coward has lasted as long as my own career in the theatre, with a U.S. Premiere at the San Francisco International Film and I’ve had the pleasure of performing several of his plays Festival and also as a staged reading by young actors of The and many of his songs in cabaret. My London doctor and good Antaeus Academy for The Young Idea Project in NoHo; and friend was Noël’s doctor, Patrick Woodcock; and a friend and Brief Encounter/Still Life in many of its formats ( Still Life theatre-going companion of mine was , Noël’s televised at the Paley, starring Trevor Howard and Ginger designer; so it seemed inevitable that I met Noël socially (in Rogers; Brief Encounter , both the BFI's newly-restored film at 1970 just prior to his knighthood). It was like meeting God – AMPAS and Kneehigh Theatre’s remarkable multi-media except, I think, that Noël Coward had a better sense of con - adaptation in its U. S. Premiere at A.C.T. in San Francisco), struction. plus 18 productions and readings of Coward's plays (we may When Jeanie Hackett approached me about adapting Peace round up to 20 if we include two productions in S.F. that closed in Our Time to include music, a moment’s consideration was just before Star Quality opened), from the most-performed all I needed to agree. With the phenomenal international suc - (Private Lives , Blithe Spirit , Hay Fever ) to readings of seldom- cess of Kneehigh’s Brief Encounter in mind, I’ve edited Peace performed works ( Easy Virtue and Peace in Our Time ) for The and integrated some of Coward’s lesser-known songs — most Young Idea Project ; all that, plus unique performances - of them of or around the period in which the play is set, and notably, the Lamplighters Music Theatre in Barry Day's one wonderfully timeless song which serves as the emotional concert version of Bitter Sweet at the opening gala — a centerpiece. As exemplified by Brief Encounter , I see this ex - bookend to the film of Bitter Sweet , Brad Rosenstein's ercise not as a “musical” in sense of the term, excellent mosaic of film footage from the 1929 stage play, as but as a serious play with musical elements. the closing for both the San Francisco and Los Angeles In editing the play (and I may yet be struck by lightning for Exhibitions. “I'll See You Again”, indeed. trimming Noël Coward’s dialogue) I had to eliminate about Bon voyage and à bientôt! Send us a postcard about thirty minutes from the text to accommodate the music. Over a your next destination, beloved Star. period of three weeks, I read and re-read the play to determine how much of the immediately post-war political polemic was relevant to 2010 America and abridged some of this along with That Was The Year That Was some of the lengthier arguments between allies and collabora - Productions on the U. S. West Coast tors. Given that most London pubs of my youth contained a Prologue: March 19 - April 5, 2009 sturdy upright piano, there is a logic to including music, some High Spirits (42nd St Moon, San Francisco) springing from the text, some sung by characters at the piano. A Coward Cabaret – Craig Jessup (42nd St Moon, San An added joy is to be working once again with the talented and Francisco) enthusiastic members of the Antaeus Academy.” Antaeus Academy Presents Act I: April 15 – Dec. 31, 2009 Peace in Our Time Opening ClassicsFest 2010 Bright Young People (ACT, San Francisco) July 6 - 10, 2010 The Antaeus Company (Kentwood Players, Westchester) Deaf West Theatre 5112 Lankershim Blvd Private Lives (Actors Repertory Theatre, Hillsboro, Oregon) North Hollywood, CA 91601 818- Private Lives (La Quinta Playhouse, La Quinta) 506-1983 www.antaeus.org Hay Fever (Little Fish Theatre, San Pedro) Private Lives (CalShakes, Orinda) Hay Fever (The Antaeus Company, NoHo) Au Revoir to a Star Peace in Our Time (The Antaeus Company, NoHo) Easy Virtue (The Antaeus Company, NoHo) Brief Encounter (Kneehigh at ACT, San Francisco) t’s hard to accept that Star Quality has moved on after a year Hay Fever (Pear Ave Theater, Mountain View) of grandly entertaining, educating, and enchanting Coward Ifans in California. From its opening celebration at the Act II: Jan. 1 – April 18, 2010 Museum of Performance and Design (MPD) in San Francisco Blithe Spirit (Theatre29, 29 Palms) on April 16, 2009 to the closing events in Beverly Hills on Blithe Spirit (Woodinville Rep, Bothell, WA) April 16 - 18, 2010, Star Quality: The World of Noël Coward Blithe Spirit (UW School of Drama, Seattle, WA) drew record crowds and established that Sir Noël Peirce A Song at Twilight (Odyssey Theatre, Los Angeles) Coward is alive and well and living in the memory of his West Private Lives (Bus Barn Theatre, Los Altos) Coast admirers, old and new. (Artists Rep, Portland, Oregon) During Coward's life, "Holy Week" in 1969 was seven days Trio from Tonight at 8:30 – Ways and Means, of celebrations honoring his 70th birthday. For Coward fans on We Were Dancing, & The Astonished Heart the West Coast, what can I say ... Star Quality 2009-2010 filled (Foothill Conservatory, Los Altos) not just seven months of public viewing of the remarkable artifacts and film clips in the Exhibition: the West Coast Epilogue: May 20, 2010 enjoyed a full thirteen months generously supplied with A Marvelous Party (Center REP, Walnut Creek) spectacular Coward-related events: galas such as the celebrity- filled opening night at AMPAS; MPD special events: films like Kathy Williams Boom! and presentations by Coward specialist John Lahr and

Page 8 COWARD COMPANIONS • A look at some of Noël’s companions at work and play Jeffery Holmesdale (Lord Amherst) Part 2 of the Far Eastern journeys with Noël. My accidental discovery of the autobiography of the late Lord Amherst has triggered a number of realisations and events. The following extract provides a commentary for a lot of the home movie footage we hold of Noël’s far-eastern travels. This has prompted a project to combine the text here with the ciné footage and produce a 30 minute film with the working title of Noël Coward in the Far East . By happy coincidence a godson of Jeffery Amherst has kindly donated a full copy of the 16mm films taken by his godfather of both the travels and the revue Words and Music . This may provide some additional footage that we can incorporate into the planned film compilation. We hope to have the film ready for the NCS conference at Cambridge next year. John Knowles n arrival in Japan the Japanese immigration and quickly lapsing into uncontrollable giggles, we got up, shook customs people were meticulous, unsmiling and hands all round, bowed and quickly made for the stairs, the Osuspicious, going through every single article in my hisses growing fainter in our ears. baggage and even scrutinising every scrap of paper in my From the mezzanine floor we were able to peer down wallet, a dreary and unwelcoming procedure. through the metal grill into the foyer below. When we were Early in the morning. snow on the ground, Tokyo buzzed sure that they had all gone, we rushed down, made for the exit with people and movement. I wondered if I should ever be able and plunged into the rain and the night to try and find out what to find my way around as all the street names were in Japanese Osaka offered at such a time and in such weather. It offered calligraphy. After a bath, change of clothes, coffee, I went very very littIe. along to Noël to wake him up and say. From Nagasaki we embarked for Korea. Thence we took “Happy Returns ”. It was quite a reunion. In our urge to tell all the train to Mukden. Other than that it was bitterly cold and the best bits that had happened to each other since we last met, there seemed to be little to see, I remember nothing of that we hardly waited for the other to fInish a sentence. section of our journey except that, while standing in the Very little do I remember of Tokyo, save the brilliant doorway of the train while we stopped at Seoul, my attention contrast of colours, especially the vermilion, lacquered onto the was attracted by Noël waving frantically from an open window woodwork of the various shrines and temples, which was even a little further down the coach. It seemed that the ashes of more notable in Kyoto, and was set off by the sparkle of the an important general were in that particular coach. A sunshine reflected from the snow covered ground and trees. procession had been formed up along tlle platform to receive And then rhere was a pre-Christmas party at the British them and here was I stand ing in the doorway and blocking the Embassy. I think we all wore funny hats, pulled crackers and whole proceedings. Order was eventually restored and the train behaved in a noisy but a very proper way as befits British continued to puff its leisurely way to wards Mukden, a remote guests at such an Embassy overseas. One of the guests was town in the wastes of north-east China. kind enough to lend me a leather coat, long enough to come At last we arrived, to be met by the British Consul, Frank down to my knees, when he learnt we were on our way to Toye, our kindly and considerate host with whom we were to Korea and Northern China in the depths of winter. Later I was stay. Although it was early in the afternoon, the sky was an to be eternally grateful to him. ominous unrelieved pall of deep grey, deep snow was all On our way to Korea we were to stay a night in Osaka. I around, and there was an icy wind. It hurt to take a deep breath. have for gotten why. But an overwhelming and determined It was indeed Black Cold. I was glad to have that leather coat. Japanese businessman, a millionaire, whom we met at the It looked as if there would be more snow to come and indeed British Embassy, insisted that he con tact his branch in Osaka there was. with instruction to take care of us. In the pouring rain at about Mukden is quite a bit south from Harbin, which in turn is seven in the evening we stepped out of the train to be sur- not so far away from the Chinese-Siberian frontier and through rounded by half a dozen or so short Japanese gentlemen in which filtered still, after all those years, a pitiful string of bowler hats, a little too small for them, short black coats and Russians fleeing from the revolution, braving the horror of striped trousers. They bowed. We bowed. Although we had Harbin, Mukden and the winter cold in their struggle to go already experienced that exclusive Japanese habit of half south, forever onwards towards freedom. baring the teeth as if to start a smile and then making a hissing So many of these straggling remnants of humanity were noise to denote welcome and pleasure, the hissing that took without pass ports or acceptable documents of any kind which place on that platform on Osaka railway station was the loudest made them all too often defenceless against the avaricious and yet. criminal inhumanities of the local police and similar bandits. We soon found out that none of them spoke or apparently But then neither the Chinese, despite their age old reputation understood a word of English. We were escorted to a large for culture, nor the Japanese, still less the Koreans, are black shiny limousine and off we went to our hotel. As soon as renowned for their humanity. we had registered, we found our selves seated in the foyer, Mr Toye’s house was a large square wooden building. From surrounded by these gentlemen. Long, silent pause. We drawings and pictures it looked like the sort of house a wealthy ventured to suggest a drink. No dice. Then an effort at small Russian merchant would have in the depths of the Russian talk. “ Very rainy this time of year in Osaka? ” we asked. Loud countryside. The first impression was one of gloom, the large hissing from all the circle. Once more, “ Very fast train from high ceilinged rooms being rather dimly lit by oil lamps Tokyo? Yes? ” More hisses. It was no good. No contact and they scattered about in odd corners. There were huge porcelain didn”t show any sign of going. We lost control. I turned to stoves which ensured a cosy heat. I remembered some of the Noël: “ I don’t think the silly little bastards understand a word. ” theatre sets I had seen for plays such as , Lots more hissing and seeming enjoyment but no word. Noël Three Sisters or . One could expect any Chekov or said, “ How are we going to get rid of the little buggers? ” Ibsen heroine to come charging in through the double doors at Hisses and hisses and hisses. Nearly beside ourselves and any moment. No sight seeing, it was just too cold to go Page 9 wandering about. Better stay in the warm house with plenty of of three days, and possibly a not too long visit some afternoon vodka. would do for us. It did. Mr. Mei Lung Fung was the star of the The taking of the train to Peking presented something of a moment. A shortish, rather plump gentleman of approaching problem, as nobody seemed to know when it was due to leave middle age he always played female parts, Empresses, or even on what day. There was nothing to be done other than Goddesses, Princesses, etc. The plays are all classical, com- to seek as warm a shelter as could be found at the railway station, stock up with tinned The train arrives in Peking foods and lots of drink and wait. But after a few hours, things and people began stirring and soon we climbed into what had once been a wagon lit coach on the Belgian State Railways. Many of its windows were broken and boarded up. There was no heating. Nor were there any restaurant or eating facili ties. So we relied on our stock of tinned foods and bottles of vodka and brandy to keep us warm and going. As the train meandered on its three day journey to Peking, it stopped at many stations and sometimes be tween stations. There was always plenty of time to get out and walk. up to the engine to get a mug full of hot water and to do a little skirmish round the face and neck with a sponge and a piece of soap. Apart from that we got grimier and grimier. pletely formalised. Every word, every gesture, every piece of It was the time when various war lords were marauding all stage busi ness is set, having been handed down from over China. At intervals fierce looking characters in patched generation to generation. The success or failure do not depend and ragged what must once have been some sort of uniforms on the play but on how each particular actor manages this or would invade the train and rush up and down the corridors, that phrase, gesture, etc. The audience knows every flicker of it having fights and altercations with odds and ends of people on and the criticism is personal and intense. Chinese audiences the train. Once we heard revolver or rifle shots but didn”t do not applaud with their hands (or did not in those days) but actually see anyone killed. Occasionally they would barge into when pleased with something particular give vent to a series of our com partment, yelling something of which we understood loud Ho Ho Ho Ho Hos. Disapproval is by whistle. not a word. We were travelling with a portable gramophone Mr Mei’s dressing-table was a mass of little pots of liquid and whenever heads popped round the door, we turned on paint, which he seemed to put on with what looked like small Sophie Tucker bawling “Some of these Days”, which we chop-sticks. The finished product was vivid, of a coarseness would turn on full blast. This seemed to amuse our visitors that would probably havc given Max Factor fits could he have who burst into yells oflaughter or toothless grins and rushed seen it. The costumes, wigs and head dresses were breathtaking out. No doubt they thought us mad. in their kaleidoscope of colours, but they and the make-up Apart from such incidents, the journey was long drawn out, were all on traditional, classical lines, no deviation being the countryside flat and uninteresting with a strange overall permitted. yellow tinge in the atmosphere, which was not sunlight nor The theatre itself was crowded. The Chinese orchestra fog. At last we pulled into Peking, dishevelled and rather seated on the side of the stage against one proscenium arch drunk. Here the sun shone brilliantly, with a bright blue sky but kept up an appalling din, screeching of strings and shrieks from a bitter piercing wind. Fur caps with ear flaps and the drop at wind instruments alternating with the crashing of cymbals and the end of one’s nose liable to turn into a small icicle was the drums. order of the day. All the Chinese including the rickshaw boys The stage was lit by glaring white floodlights, no spots nor wore padded and quilted clothing, always dark blue. colours; no scenery, but curtains and screens, with a few Life for us was a long round of parties mostly at various benches to sit on. Coming in or going out through a door was embassies, visits to Jade Street, Silver Street, Silk Street, etc., symbolised by the character lifting up his leg as if stepping and, of course, the Chinese Theatre. The French Embassy over a ditch. Soon after we came in Mr Mei appeared to loud promised the most light-hearted of engagements, Margot Ho Ho Hos. He appeared to be giving an intermediate Martell , wife of the French Ambassador and sister of Henri recitative to intermittent crashes from the band. We asked if Bardac , an old Paris friend, was unrivalled in her exuberance. this was part of the play. Oh no; it was just Mr Mei explaining A keen racegoer and owner of several racehorses, she was to the audience about his career and the way he intended to reported to take a considerable interest in many of the jockeys. play the part when he came to it. She organised a happy luncheon party at a point of the Great We were seated on wooden benches, was Wall which was reasonably easy to get to from Peking. It was crowded, everyone being bundled up in their dark blue quilted piercingly cold with a brilliant blue sky and a sparkling yellow clothes. Our attention was distracted by objects which seemed sun. Highly enjoyable, we kept ourselves warm after an to be flying through the air from one side of the house to the excellent hamper luncheon with bottle after bottle of the very other. Then we noticed gentlemen slowly going up and down best Martell Three Star brandy. the aisles with baskets on their arms from which they took Of course we had to visit the Chinese Theatre. We were hot scented towels and threw them to whoever held up a hand warned that on average a Chinese play goes on for the best part in the audience. Everybody was eating something all the time Page 10 and the towels were to wipe one’s face and hands. When finished one threw it back to The Three Musketeers on HMS Suffolk the gentlemen in the aisle who caught it and put it back in the basket. He was always going in and out presumably to get more hot towels. The aiming of the towel throwing was very accurate. After about all hour and a half of this we decided we had had enough although we were told the play proper had not yet started. We took a very comfortable train from Peking to Tsing Tao via Tsin Tsin, from whence we took a ship for Shanghai. My second visit to Shanghai was a good deal happier than the first. To begin with the weather had stopped sleeting and the sun shone fitfully. We had the luck to get to know the family Stevens . Mama, known as Mamita, was Spanish and had married a successful British banker called Stevens who lived for the Yellow Sea, making suitable signals to all those other and operated in Shanghai. He died leaving her a rich naval ships of many nations lying at anchor. widow with three enchanting and very marriageable daughters. The Navy has a world-wide reputation for hospitality. Two They entertained lavishly. Their house was a babel as one cabins were given up to us, we were made extremely would start an argu ment in Spanish, break into German, comfortable and welcome. Naval exercises were carried out another would interrupt with French, and a third in Italian, over one twenty-four hours. Guns were mounted, turrets were while a fourth ended up in English. It was at this house we met swung about, courses were altered - it was all a closed book to up with three British naval officers from HMS Suffolk, us. One of The Three Musketeers was the navigating officer. It which happened to be lying in the roads on the Yangtze River. seems that in the general houpla he lost a Chinese island. But We called them The Three Musketeers . They were light- no matter, we finally reached Hong Kong just about sundown. hearted, generous and totally without guile. Once again that unique and spectacular panorama of mountain, One evening wc were invited to dinner on board. On those harbour and sunset swept into view, the shore and ships’ lights occasions when I have been privileged to be a guest in the just beginning to twinkle. wardroom or even the gun room, I have been overwhelmed This time we stayed in Kowloon, at the Peninsular Hotel. It with the numbers of gimlets that have been thrust upon me. As was necessary to take the little ferry boat across tlle harbour to you may know, a gimlet is a shortish drink composed of gin, a get to the island, the main town and over the mountain to dash of Angostura Bitters, lime juice and a little soda water. It Repulse Bay. Noël spent most of his time in his room, propped tastes gentle enough but the effects are inclined to be almost up in bed in a dark blue flannel dressing-gown, with note lethal. They are, or were in those days, a great favourite with books scattered about and a portable type writer, busy getting the Navy as a drink before dinner. Noël and I battled our way Private Lives down onto paper. through numerous onslaughts of gimlets. Much later, after an The day before the Suffolk was due to sail away, there was excellent and fairly rowdy dinner, we had become really very a party on board. Very early the next moming Noël and I drunk indeed. We had to negotiate a long, slightly swaying tottered onto the balcony outside our room. There with gangway leading from the deck to the duty boat, tied up a long cracking hangovers, we waved discon solately white towels and way below, which was to take us back to the Bund. We pillow cases as Bon Voyage signals to the cruiser as it steamed managed this in a reasonably dignified way. Stepping carefully away majestically down the harbour. There was no knowing if into the boat Noël stopped and turning to me in rather a far-off our signals were understood, even seen. Aiming to get to Indo-China we took passage on a very manner but with very carefully enunciated syllables said: “ Was tattered looking small tramp steamer, which was to sail for it Mamita Stevens or her daughters who asked us to go to the Haiphong with a cargo of fish manure. We shared a diminutive Races? ” Drawing myself up to my fullest height and determined not to trip up, I hiccupped rather grandly and very cabin with hundreds of cockroaches and bed bugs. There was a small space further down the deck which did duty as a dining- casually: “ My mother was married. ” We both got ashore and back to our hotd without falling down. room, meals were erratic but luckily we had armed ourselves I am sure Noël had always had it in the back of his mind as on the Chinese train from Mukden with tinned stuff that somehow he would sail for some sort of voyage however and plenty of gin and brandy. Even a scribbled piece of paper short in one of the ships of the Royal Navy. I suspect it was he as a menu was attempted in our honour. We heard there were to who first bruited the idea to The Three Musketeers, and they, in be one or two other passengers but we never saw them. One their turn, got leave of Captain Arbuthnot to invite Noël and day the menu read “Fried No Belong Bird”, which puzzled us but the sardonic Chinese gentleman who acted as steward myself to sail “Grey Funnel”, as it was termed, in HMS Suffolk from Shanghai to Hong Kong. explained with many gestures that as nobody knew the name of For me it was an unforgettable moment, when on a bright the bird it was just called “No Belong”. but blus tery early afternoon we stood somewhere high up on an The skipper was French, with a large beard and was drunk upper deck, firmly wrapped up in leather coats, a pair of quite most of the time; a Chinese lady, presumably his mistress, took insignificant civilians amidst all that naval bustle, as the charge. The crew were Annamite. The journey took four days. Suffolk slowly slid down the waterway of the Yangtze bound We had a severe storm, during which everything broke loose Page 11 and got soaking wet with spray and rain. After hours of noise was once a city - got built with stone which is foreign to the and discomfort we thought the boat must capsize or just sink. locality, remains shrouded in speculation and mystery. What We looked about for a sign of lifebelts but there weren’t any remains stands up vast, gaunt and rather threatening, just and the boat didn’t sink or capsize, but puffed serenely into surviving the surrounding jungle that looks as if it might engulf Haiphong Harbour very early all a steamy grey day with the it all at any moment. If you wander about towards - where the sea looking as if it were made of silk and the colour of an jungle really takes over and you keep quiet, you may well see a oyster. We had letters of introduction to the French Rcsident in monkey swinging from tree to tree, or a flash of something Hanoi where we went from the harbour. He was most yellow which could be a leopard or some big cat of that sort hospitable and put us up in the Residency. There was, it seems, bouncing about; probably on the hunt. It is as well to keep the some sort of revolution going on at that moment so we were eyes well open when picking a quiet spot to sit down for a advised not to go wandering about but to stay indoors, which breather as cobras seem to have a predilection for picking cosy we did and had an excellent if slightly formal dinner. corners on warm stones for a snooze. Our plan was to hire a car and drive down the coast road The five main domes which tower up majestically into the through the length of Indo-China to Saigon. With French help darkening evening sky, present something of a daily we secured two Indo -Chinese who were reported to be phenomenon. About a quarter of an hour before the light goes - reasonably reliable. It was thought advisable that we should and it goes quickly in those latitudes, there being no only pay them a third of the fare, the balance being promised intervening twilight - there appears to be what looks like only if and when we arrived safely in Saigon. It was a wreaths of dark brown smoke coming out of the tops of each miraculous drive, spectacular, vivid, hot and dusty as all get- tower. They do say locally that the tallest middle tower comes out, such a thing as a tarmac or hard road of any kind being first, to be fol lowed in rotation by the other four and that the unheard of I was en chanted with the locals, with their wide rotation is precise and does not change evening by evening. I brimmed pointed straw hats and their cheerful smiles for all cannot vouch for this. True enough there are those issuing and on every occasion. Unfortunately the charm of their smiles wreaths of smoke. But they are not smoke. They are thousands was largely offset by their determination to chew Betel Nut as and thousands of bats, who sleep all day, hanging upside often as they could. Betel Nut, so they say, is very good for down inside the hollow domes and come out in the evening to the teeth and the digestion, but it exudes a frantic red stain, scurry about the sky chasing gnats and such creatures which which makes those that use it look as if they have been the they live on. The smell in the towers is overbearing. victim of a violent punch in the mouth. The locals spit The local tourist authorities every so often provide evening considerably, the Betel Nut stain doesn’t make the habit any spectacles which remind one of Leon Bakst’s wilder creations. more attractive. In front of those towers is a terrace which acts as a sort of I was out of luck. Only about two thirds of the journey did I stage. Coloured “Bengal” lights are lit at intervals along this so see and enjoy as just about when we were to embark on the last that the whole facade is floodlit in many shades of colour. leg I woke early in the morning feeling as if I were just coming Occasionally local interpreters of what may be surviv ing from apart. Noël took my temperature. I knew it must be up and up some Khmer national ballet posture about. This against the quite a bit. He didn’t tell me then what it was but after I learned dark velvet blue of the night sky to the endless hum of insect it was going on for 103. I don’t remember much of that last bit noises and rust lings with an occasional cadenza of frog of the drive, arriving in the middle of the afternoon (in the choruses presents a magic not to be forgotten, mosquitoes and middle of the heat and everyone at their siestas) more or other annoyances to the contrary. I am grateful to have less unconscious. Noël was wonderful, he managed to stir up a experienced this, and years before whatever damage may diagnosed me (wrongly as it turned out later) as have been done to it by the vandalism of the Viet Nam [sic] “Maladie de la Foie” and bundled me into some sort of clinic war. run by some entrancing although elderly Nuns. There I lay, Around nine one evening, the tranquillity was shattered by under a mosquito net in a hut in the garden, sweating profusely the arrival of a cavalcade of motor cars carrying a group of and allowed only hot milk and dry biscuits to eat. Twice a day I American tourists who, having “done” Bangkok were stopping had injections. The good lady who administered these was the night to have a quick “look see” at Angkor Wat on their short-sighted, her needle was blunt, and her pince-nez were way to Saigon where they were due to re join their cruise ship. always falling off her nose. She made boss shot after boss shot Poor things, they had been rushed from shrine to shrine, klong at getting the needle into my bum. Each time I winced and she to klong, temple to temple plus a long dusty ride on a rough would mutter sooth ingly: “ Oh, pardon, monsieur, j’ai trompe; dirt road and they were hot, tired and in their own vernacular encore une fois je vous en prie. ” “all tuckered out”. From the hut next to ours came a despairing Noël had a wretched time of it, hanging around Saigon female voice asking in Middle-West accents: “ Elmer, Elmer, (which has been stigmatised as the Paris of the Tropics, but in where’s my sodamint? My head’s splitting! ” Far too early the reality is not any kind of Paris of the tropics or anywhere else), next morning, the same voice floated across the intervening expecting me to die at any moment. But I recovered and, space, apparently at odds with her son: though emaciated and somewhat un steady on my feet, we “Why, Junior, don’t you wanna go see the Missionaries? ” climbed into a Buick roadster and drove off for Bangkok via They all dis appeared in clouds of hot dust. Angkor Wat. Again much heat and much dust, the country Later too we took our leave in clouds of hot dust to bump remaining for the most part rather flat and uninteresting until our way to Bangkok, where we put up at what was then the we came to Angkor. With that innate good taste which the best available hotel, the Phia Thia Palace, which had indeed French have to the fury of the rest of the world, tourists were been a royal palace only compara tively recently converted into accommodated in little bungalows, mosquito nets, running a hotel. With large lofty rooms with marble floors and wide water and simple, but excellent food, within sight of the open windows letting in such draughts of coolish wind that famous Temples. might be about plus a generous complement of mosquitoes, it The history of its people, their origins, how the city - and it was very subdued, elegant and restful. Page 12 The last time I was there the old hotel had disappeared and End , as being a vile libel on the British Army. She went for one was forced into those matchbox-like cubicles which do Noël too for playing the part of Stanhope. None of our soldiers duty for rooms in the modern honeycombs of building that go ever drank in the 1914 war she insisted. She knew all about it by the name of hotel. as her father, a general, had told her. Noël with seeming The reigning monarch had been at Eton at the same time as innocence turned to me to enquire that as I had been in and I had. Prince Prajatipok and I had enjoyed a nodding about the front line trenches for quite a while could I cross acquaintance. On such a slight pretext I asked for an audience. my heart and say that everyone there was always sober. Never In due course Noël and I found ourselves in an anteroom of the drew a sober breath I answered gloomily. Lady Clementi royal palace being received by a royal chamberlain in bristled. But my father the general said that was not true, she wonderful clothes, but who regaled us with glass after glass of insisted. I asked what Army her father had commanded. She soda water, which gave us severe burps and almost destroyed replied he was at the base in charge of supplies. Then I lost my our later efforts at appropriate dignity while making polite head and casting all discretion to the winds, I said that no conversation with the smiling little man who indeed was the doubt at the base they were all God-fearing cocoa-drinking King of Siam no less. Our exit was not too auspicious either. In teetotallers, but that up in the line we were just the “ brutal and our efforts to preserve protocol and leave the presence walking licen tious ” and drank as much as we could get hold of backwards, Noël barely avoided backing into a large cabinet Luncheon ended rather quickly. with glass doors, containing goodness knows what treasures of Almost immediately Noël wrote a little song about the good gold and jade. lady. I can only remember one stanza: It was on a small freight boat en route for Singapore that I collapsed again. Amoebic dysentery is not only disagreeable Oh, Lady Clementi, youv’e read a lot of G. A. Henty but painful and very tiring as one has no rest or let-up from the You’ve not read Bertrand Russell and you’ve not read Dr. Freud, continual trotting to the loo, there to discharge a few drops of Which perhaps is the reason you look unenjoyed. You’re anti-sex in any form, or so I’ve heard it said, blood which afford no relief from the wretched pain in one’s You’re just the sort who would prefer a cup of tea instead guts. Fortunately for me my bunk was only a few steps along You must have been a riot in the matrimonial bed the deck to the heads so I did not have to negotiate ladders or Whoops - Lady Clementi. companionways. Even so when I arrived in Singapore after three days I was as thin as a rake, terribly weak and running Noël sang this at various parties. All the grander and rather quite a temperature. Again poor Noël was wonderful in more elderly ladies would exclaim: “ Oh disgraceful, comforting and consoling without showing a trace of the disgraceful. Sing it again Mr Coward, please sing it AGAIN. ” anxiety he told me afterwards that he suffered. We left by a night train for Kuala Lumpur. Leaving In Singapore I went to hospital, where I was wonderfully Singapore we had what I think was the only row we had during looked after by a stern Scottish sister and smiling little Chinese the whole journey. I wanted the window open. He wanted it up. nurses. I stayed there about six weeks, the first part with my Or vice versa. We didn’t speak for quite ten minutes. arms in slings as the emetine injections they then used made Another freight boat to Colombo, where we put up at the my arms so tender that even to touch a sheet was painful. Galleface Hotel, wonderfully situated on the edge of the sea. While I was there Noël made acquaintance with an English Who should suddenly appear but Linda and . It touring company called the Quaints . Alex Wollcott hooted with was a chance meeting of the two unique composers of both unbelieving and irreverent laughter when he heard of the name. songs and their lyrics of this century. Linda and Cole had been They had been battling all through India and were on their way on an elaborate tour of the Far East. Linda couldn’t wait to get to Hong Kong and goodness knows where else. Their back to Paris to have her hair properly washed and set. Cole repertoire was staggering: Fair and Warmer , When Knights had taken miles of sixteen millimetre film. So we sat up in were Bold and Journey’s End were the only shows I can their sitting room to watch the film, operated by Cole’s valet. It remember. Jimmy Anderson , an indefatigable comedian of went on for hours. utter professionalism, headed the troupe. Johnny Mills was the Splendid views and panoramas with Linda and Cole juvenile. This was his first meeting with Noël who put him pointing out this or that. One should be careful about asking subsequently into Cavalcade and Words and Music since when friends to sit through an evening watching your efforts as a he has never looked back. Noël was en couraged to play for a cine photographer unless you have had the luck and the nouse special performance the role of Stanhope in Journey’s End , a to ensure each shot has plenty of people moving about doing long and demanding part which he quickly learnt and with a things. Even so, unless you have been ruthless in your cutting minimum of rehearsals played. To have had to wear British it’s all apt to be highly soporific. Army uniform as worn in the 1914 war in the heat of Back. in Colombo we had a lot of fun buying what we were Singapore was a feat in itself. Of the performance you must assured were uncut emeralds. They were but they were all read Noël’s own description in his autobiography. I did not see flawed. I had mine made up into button and cufflinks and wore it. them unashamedly for years, until eventually a sneak-thief But this performance led to quite an incident in swiped them. Government House. I had emerged from hospital looking more By P & O we sailed from Colombo to Marseilles. Life on like a medical specimen than a human being. We were bidden board was strictly de rigeur . We were most unpopular, not to luncheon at Government House. We had heard of the being too punctual at meals, refusing to get mixed up in deck. Governor’s difficult consort, Lady Clementi , who was quoits and other such games. reported to have created quite a stir in Hong Kong by going Especially did we annoy the Anglo-Indian ladies and the round all the bookshops and demanding that all William planters’ wives from Malaya when we awarded the top prizes Somerset Maugham’s books be thrown out as she considered for the best fancy dress to two Eurasian ladies, pretty and them immoral. young with much the best costumes, but who had been She lost no time in launching a virulent attack on Journey’s consistently snubbed by their white sisters. Page 13 It seemed there was not a single mother on board who did other's account. Example: Coward mentions the names of not have a daughter who sang and danced beautifully, and ‘The Three Musketeers’ - Amherst does not. could make a fortune on the stage if only she were given the Amherst mentions putting 'Private Lives' on paper in chance. Noël was molested by them at every turn. In revenge Shanghai without ever having mentioned that he wrote it in he wrote... Shanghai while ill. Amherst goes into detail about social “Don’t put your daughter on the stage, Mrs Worthington”. activities in Peking - Coward dismisses it in one sentence.” Ken Starrett adds:“It is fascinating to compare Amherst's From Wandering Abroad by Jeffery Amherst, published account of their journey with Coward's version in 'Present by Secker & Warburg. Reprinted by kind permission of Indicative' - the details each leaves out that appears in the The Random House Group Ltd.

an interview with NCS member Adrian Wright A Tanner's Worth of Tune on his new book on the British . oward Society member Adrian Wright has had a busy time. C He has two new books published in June 2010, one of them his first novel Maroon (The Book Guild). Set on the north-west coast of England, Maroon tells the story of characters who, for one reason or another, have ended up where they don't want to be. Through an accident in the street, their lives intertwine, and their dilemmas are resolved: some stay, some leave, and some die. Adrian's second book is A Tannner's Worth of Tune , the first book ever to be written about the post-war British musical. He runs Must Close Saturday Records , the only record company in the world devoted to British musicals, and has broadcast on them for Radio 3. His earlier books include the Possibly because they were not very good, or the critics acclaimed Foreign hated them, or audiences ignored them, or they were at the Country: The Life of L wrong theatre, or the weather was too hot or too cold … You P Hartley and can always find excuses for shows not running. Actors and biographies of John writers are very good at suggesting hosts of reasons – nothing Lehmann and William to do with them of course! More seriously, I do think that most Alwyn . He is now writing a book on the American musical in of the post-war British critics were trying to push the British London, West End Broadway. musical in ways that they mistakenly considered it ought to go John Knowles interviewed him about those aspects of his – they simply wouldn’t allow the British musical to develop in book that deal with Coward’s contribution to British Musical its own way, which is one of the reasons it changed gear with Theatre. such crashing effect, notably in the 1950s and 1960s. A lot of very interesting stuff was just allowed to slip away, and some Adrian, what prompted you to write the book? of the least worthy stayed around for too long. But that’s life, as well as show business. I didn’t need prompting! I’d just done a mammoth life of Sadly, the British musical has always been regarded as a the composer William Alwyn, which for various reasons took sub-culture hardly worth a second glance. Why bother to take it me a great many years to complete, and the Boydell Press seriously? It’s unfair, because throughout its long life it has asked me to do another book. I never dreamed they would go been making an effort to reflect something about British for this book, because I’d wanted to write it for more years culture. For a time it was much more relevant than the than elephants could remember. In fact, when I came to write it Broadway equivalent. I found a great deal of it was already in my head. I’ve really Now, of course, even the Broadway stuff has all but dried had a mis-spent life thinking far too much about British up. Wit, charm, melody. They have mostly been consigned to a musicals. But I was already completing my novel, Maroon , past that the young don’t remember. which also comes out in June 2010, which helped keep me reasonably sane. Why is it that the American musicals that transferred from Broadway to the West End are remembered and revived again Your passion for this period of musical theatre in Britain is and again but British musicals are not - well at least not to clear - why do you think so many of them failed to impress the same extent? and had such short runs? Page 14 It’s the same answer as the last, but in reverse. By the time been performed. Your clear applause for the value of much of Broadway musicals arrived in Britain many of them already Novello's works, when they were originally produced, has not had their reputations made for them – My Fair Lady is the most led to a similar cycle of revival. Why do you think that is? obvious example. Broadway was an industry which promoted itself wherever it landed. Of course, London only got sent the Oh, there are supposed to be plans to revive Novello, but I shows that had been substantial successes in New York – a don’t think you should hold your breath. There have been one Broadway flop was hardly ever transported overseas, for or two attempts to do the Novello musicals in the provinces, obvious reasons. As a matter of fact, I’ve just been and there was a London revival of The Dancing Years which commissioned to write a history of the American musical in was almost laughed off the stage. The dialogue is pretty dire. London, which I’m finding fascinating. But why are they The Ruritanian atmosphere is difficult to take, too, but of revived again and again? Well, think of the songs. I mean, course today we don’t have ration books in our pockets and compare Annie Get Your Gun with Pacific 1860 . From the Britain is not the grey place it was then. Novello fulfilled a beginning of the 1970s everything changed with the arrival of need, physical as much as musical. I doubt that there will be the big ‘international’ musicals: the coming of Cameron much after-life for Novello in a generation or so. A couple of Mackintosh and Lloyd Webber. It wasn’t the beginning of the years ago I heard a commentator on Radio 2 answering a query British musical, as has often been said, but a sort of end. And that a listener had sent in: ‘We keep hearing about the Ivor before they came along, shows just popped up without much Novello Awards, but who WAS Ivor Novello?’ The answer publicity and did well if they managed a few months. came: ‘He was the son of a Welsh rent collector.’ Such is the Nowadays, even flops run twenty eight years. The sense of transitory nature of fame! I have to say, too, that poor old Ivor proportion has completely gone. I believe Lloyd Webber sits on hasn’t had the advantage of so vigorous a society as you have a throne on a television programme. He probably deserves to – built around Noël Coward. His legend goes on; Novello’s after all, I can’t think of another British musical theatre legend, which in many ways was the greater, has dimmed. composer who has broken through since Lloyd Webber almost forty years ago. It’s not a particularly healthy state of affairs, is Your thoughts on some of Coward's classic and most it? performed songs are less than complimentary. Why do you think they have stayed the course and feature in so many Is there such a thing as The Great British Songbook current cabaret and concert performances? stemming from our own musical theatre tradition? Familiarity. People don’t explore. Well, could you name me ten songs from British musicals that have woven themselves into the fabric of the man on the In a sense your comment on Coward's musicals sets them in Clapham omnibus? I realise I may have to wait some time for a category of their own aside from the mainstream of your answer … Some would no doubt quote a show like contemporary British musical theatre. Are they therefore a Cowardy Custard as providing a sort of British songbook of its unique category in this lexicon or as you say, on at least one own. I’m not sure. Actually, it was never a show I liked. I occasion, out of sync with ? thought it was vastly overrated, like too many courses of a very rich meal. I played a season of it, though, and loved doing all I don’t think I do deal with them separately, or at least I those Coward numbers! certainly don’t see them as outside the general pattern. Your examination of Coward's almost demands a As for being out of sync with reappraisal of this aspect of his work and a sharper the times, I’m not sure that’s comparison with contemporaries such as Novello. Why do always a bad thing. However, you think Coward’s legacy has survived rather better than his I think it’s good to start a contemporaries or is it his other work that has led to his discussion about an artist’s continued popularity with his theatre musicals merely the tail work. People can suffer from of the dog? being idolised. I have never suffered from it myself, and I Firstly, let me say I yield to no-one in admiration of don’t think it’s a good thing Coward’s work. A friend who read my comments in the book to suffer from. I have a about Coward said ‘You really don’t like him, do you?’ I don’t sneaking suspicion that think it matters that I do or don’t. I do, as a matter of fact. I Coward might have benefited think he was a man of exceptional talents. I don’t think his from having someone in his musicals are the best of him. I’m not sure how aware he was of life who occasionally showed what was happening to musicals during his lifetime – of course HIM the wagging finger. he went to see many of them, but it seems he was really fixed Artists don’t deserve comfort. almost at the point of Bitter-Sweet . When it comes to plays, obviously, Coward beats Novello hands down. And Coward Adrian Wright’s book about the post-war British musical, A wrote so many fantastic songs. It’s just that they mostly were TANNER’S WORTH OF TUNE, is published by the Boydell not allied to his musicals. I wish he’d have been much more Press. adventurous when it came to those. Both of Adrian’s new books are available online from www..co.uk . Revivals of Coward's musicals since his death have largely ‘A Tanner’s Worth of Tune’ is also available at been as adaptations for the concert platform or in their www.amazon.com original form by earnest amateur companies - but they have Page 15 Details of some productions, publications and events Home Chat is the newsletter of WHAT’S ON ? see www.noëlcoward.net and www.noëlcoward.com for more. . . The Noël Coward Society, which is generously funded by Best Of Britain To Be Showcased In borrowed from other famous operas. The Noël Coward Foundation Lively Comedy Musical In Brampton Entry is £7 for adults or £5 for concessions 09 June 2010 £5 (only available on the Wednesday, Officers of the Society are: Thursday and Friday performances. Tickets Chairman: Barbara Longford Works by some of Britain's much-loved should be booked on 01480 830934. Secretary: Denys Robinson writers and composers will be given a Treasurer: Stephen Greenman humorous twist and brought to life on stage in Private Lives at Cygnet Theatre, North American Director: Ken Starrett Brampton later this month. San Diego US West Coast Liaison: Brampton Choral Society is presenting an Cygnet Theatre is staging Noël Coward’s Kathy Williams evening of words and music entitled 'The Private Lives , with enough verve and skill to Representative for Australia: Best of British' at Brampton fill out a delightful summer evening in Old Kerry Hailstone from Wednesday, June 30 to Saturday, July 3 Town. Representative for France: at 7.30pm. Performances at the Old Town Theatre run Hélène Catsiapis Unless otherwise stated all The lively performance features work by Wednesday through Sunday, with weekend writers and composers spanning the 1870s to images and text are copyright matinees, through July 3. Old Town is to NC Aventales AG the 1980s. especially busy this time of year, but Cygnet It begins with a celebration of Noël has a small parking lot next to the theatre Please send all correspondence Coward and presents a brief look at the life reserved for patrons. Come early, though, and to: John Knowles, and work of the man with a talent for writing enjoy the pleasant June evening along with a 29 Waldemar Avenue, musical and dramatic stage works. very funny play. Hellesdon, Norwich, The evening features a humorous and NR6 6TB, UK musical re-telling of the legend of St George [email protected] and the Dragon in The Reluctant Dragon by Tel: +44 (0) 1603 486 188 Kenneth Grahame. Mob: +44 (0) 7515 356 067 It has words by David Grant and music in NCS news from the US compiled by Ken Starrett. various styles including rock 'n' roll. Editor, design and production: The programme concludes with an John Knowles. extended version of Gilbert and Sullivan's Publication and distribution: Trial by Jury incorporating numbers Stephen Greenman and We are getting ready for the Society’s Conference planned for Barbara Longford. Music correspondent: September 2011 at Downing College, Cambridge. Dominic Vlasto. Here are some views of the college taken during a planning visit by the conference organising group. Proofing: Kathy Williams and Ken Starrett.

All articles without a byline are by the editor. Contributions are invited from members. The editors reserve the right to edit all copy, images and decide on inclusion of items. Details included in ‘What’s On?’ are as received, with our thanks, from: The West Lodge Garden and Howard Theatre Downing College set in 20 acres in the heart of Cambridge Samuel French (Play Publishers and Author’s Representatives), Ken Starrett (US), Alan Brodie Representation (Professional Productions), NCS members and theatre companies.

For details of rights for professional productions: www.alanbrodie.com For amateur productions Downing College accommodation blocks The conference organising group at Downing College www.samuelfrench.com or www.samuelfrench- london.co.uk THE NOËL COWARD SOCIETY ALWAYS WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS! For publishing rights: If you would like to join the Society please contact: www.methuen.co.uk Stephen Duckham: [email protected] ...... Tel: +44 (0) 2476 229 502 For music rights: In North America contact Ken Starrett: [email protected] ...... Tel: 00 1 212 877 4259 www.warnerchappell.co.uk