BARRY DAY HONOURED - The Noel Coward Society

In the UK...
October 2006
Blithe Spirit
5 to 7 Oct & 10 to 14 Oct - Tabs
Productions, Chatham Theatre, Kent
17 to 21 Oct - Cotswold players, The
Cotswold Playhouse, Stroud,
Gloucestershire
11 to 14 Oct - Urchfont Players, Village
Hall, Urchfont, Wiltshire
Still Life
7 Oct - Merrow Dramatic Society
Electric Theatre, Guildford, Surrey
Private Lives
Present to 4 Nov - Theatre by the Lake,
Keswick
Fallen Angels
1 Sep to 31 Dec - Bill Kenwright Ltd,
UK Tour
November and December 2006
Private Lives
Present to 4 Nov - Theatre by the Lake,
Keswick
Blithe Spirit
16 to 25 Nov - Stonegate Amateur
dramatic Society, Village Hall,
Stonegate, East Sussex
Present Laughter
9 to 11 Nov - Lion and Unicorn Players,
Festival Hall, Petersfield, Hampshire
Sail Away
1 to 4 Nov - Theatre 2000, Christchurch,
Dorset BO: 01202 480 397
Fallen Angels
1 Sep to 31 Dec - Bill Kenwright Ltd,
UK Tour
2007
The Vortex - Will Young - The Royal
Exchange Theatre from the 17th January
to March 10th 2007. Tickets are
available on 0161 615 6815 or 0161 833
9833
Private Lives
19 to 27 Feb 2007 - The Bancroft
Players, The Queen Mother Theatre,
Hitchin, Hertfordshire
19 to 29 Sep 2007 - The Maddermarket
Theatre, Norwich
Blithe Spirit
25 to 28 Apr 2007 - Knutsford Little
Theatre, Knutsford, Cheshire
13 to 16 Feb - St Edwards College DS,
St Edwards College, Liverpool
The Seven Stages of Love
14 Feb - At the Wigmore Hall, Gillian
Keith Iestyn Davies, Andrew Kennedy,
The King’s Consort and Robert King - a
concert for Valentine’s Day - includes
arrangements of Noël Coward songs.
Still Life
2 Mar - After Dark Theatre Company,
The Train Station, Carnforth, Lancashire
(Where the station scenes of the film
Brief Encounter were shot)
Page 12
In North America...
Home Chat is the newsletter
October to December 2006
of The Noël Coward Society
wholly owned by
Present Laughter
Noël
Coward Ltd. which is
16 Nov to 17 Dec – Mad Cow Theatre,
part
of
the charitable trust:
Orlando, Florida
The
Noël
Coward Foundation.
Food For Thought
At The Players, located at 16 Gramercy
Unless otherwise stated all
Park South, New York City. Call 212/362- images and text are copyright
2560 for information. Two programmes as
to NC Aventales AG
follows:
All correspondence to:
Fumed Oak - Mon. Nov. 6 - 1:00 pm, and
The Noël Coward Society,
29 Waldemar Avenue,
Shadow Play - 14 Nov - 5:30 pm
Hellesdon, Norwich,
Blithe Spirit
NR6 6TB, UK
22 Nov to 9 Dec - Belleville Theatre
email: johnknowles@noëlcoward.net
Guild, Pinnacle Street, Bellville, Ontario
Tel: +44 (0)1603 486 188
Hay Fever
3 Nov to 4 Dec - Center Stage, Baltimore
Editor: John Knowles
College
Assistant Editor:
19 to 28 Oct - Borelians Community
Ken Starrett
theatre, Port Perry, Ontario
Publication and Distribution:
Stephen Greenman (UK)
Private Lives
Ken Starrett (US)
Oct. 6-Nov. 30 - Wayne State University
Music
Correspondent:
Theater, Detroit
Dominic
Vlasto
Present Laughter
21 Sep to 7 Oct - Stage Centre
Contributions are invited from
Productions, Scarborough, Ontario
members of the Society.
2007
The editor reserves the right
Private Lives
to edit all copy, images and
13 Jan to 2 Feb, 2007 - Bloor West Village
inclusion of items.
Details of items included in
Players, Bloor Street West, Toronto,
What’s On? are as received,
Ontario
with our thanks, from:
Waiting In The Wings
Samuel
French UK and
28 Feb to 17 Mar, 2007 - Victoria Theatre
Canada (Play Publishers and
Guild, Langham Court Thtre, Victoria, BC
Author's Representatives),
30 Mar to 8 Apr, 2007-Little Theatre of
Ken Starrett (US),
New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Alan Brodie Representation
Blithe Spirit
(Professional Productions),
4 to 27 May, 2007-Mount Dora Theatre
NCS members and
theatre companies.
Company, Florida
16 Feb to 18 Mar - Central Alberta Thtr
For details of rights for
Soc Red Deer, Alberta
professional
productions
1 to 16 Jun - Theatre Aurora, Aurora,
contact:
Ontario
Alan Brodie Representation
22 May to Jun 2 - Kanata Thtr, Kanata,
www.alanbrodie.com
Ontario
For amateur productions
Fallen Angels
contact:
20 Mar to 7 Apr - Ottowa Little Theatre,
Samuel French Ltd.
www.samuelfrench.com or
Ottawa, Ontario
In the Rest of the World...
Australia
October and November
Private Lives
19 Oct 2006 - 14 Nov 2006 - Queensland
Theatre Co & State Theatre Co of South
Australia, Brisbane
10 Nov 2006 - 2 Dec 2006 - Queensland
Theatre Co & State Theatre Co of South
Australia, Adelaide
Merry Noël!
17 to 19 Dec - John Michael Swinbank
Old Mill Theatre in South Perth - six
performances.www.bocsticketing.com.au
www.samuelfrenchlondon.co.uk
For publishing rights for Noël
Coward contact:
Methuen
www.methuen.co.uk
For music rights contact:
Warner Chappell
www.warnerchappell.co.uk
Officers of the Society are:
Chairman: Barbara Longford
General Secretary:
Stephen Greenman
General Manager:
John Knowles
North American Director:
Ken Starrett
home CHAT
FREE TO
MEMBERS OF
THE SOCIETY
Price £3 ($5)
OCTOBER 2006 - THE NEWSLETTER OF THE NOËL COWARD SOCIETY
COWARD CONFERENCE AT OXFORD A RESOUNDING SUCCESS!
W
hen Noël Coward was famously asked by
Dick Cavett, “You’re - you... what is the
word when one has such terrific, prolific
qualities?” Noël replied “Talent.”
Yes talent - the defining quality for those who are
remembered, studied, seized as mentors and loved for the
richness of their legacy. All of these qualities were
explored in the Society’s first successful conference
‘Future Definite - A Celebration of Noël Coward’ at St.
Catherine’s College, Oxford on the first weekend of
September. In opening the conference Chairman Barbara
Longford said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, A warm welcome
to the first residential conference of The Noël Coward
Society.
I would particularly like to thank all those members
who have supported the conference from the outset, when
it was first publicised in Home Chat last October. If you
hadn’t all diligently filled out the expression of interest
forms showing your positive support, we should never
have been able to get the conference off the ground. This
conference has been arranged by members for members
to give us all pleasure, information and inspiration and
an opportunity to get to know one another. It has been
funded by us all.” Barbara’s intention of providing a
celebration rather than a colloquium, created
involvement at all levels. As she said later in her
introduction, “Finally, as many of you will know, Noël
Coward was concerned that he might not be
remembered. You may not be aware of it, but I must
inform you that every single one of the speakers and
entertainers who are participating in this conference has
agreed to waive their
fee. They are all
participating out of
love for Noël and his
work. What better
tribute to the Master
could we possibly
wish for. ”
What followed
over three days
revealed just how
significant Noël
Coward is in the
lives of so many
people and his
importance to the
Barbara and Patrick Longford on
worlds of writing,
the Oxford Walk at the conference
composing and
theatre.
Continued on column 1 page 2...
BARRY DAY HONOURED
as our new Vice President
A
s the final part of the
Conference programme
Barry Day was inducted
as our newest Vice
President joining Moira Lister,
Sheridan Morley and Stephen Fry.
Barry was clearly moved when
accepting this latest honour in
recognition of his contribution to
the world of Coward and the
Society. In presenting a scroll to
mark the occasion Barbara
Longford said:
“And now seems a most
Barry Day OBE and
appropriate moment to say a few
Vice President of the Society
words about Mr Barry Day. I’ve
only known Barry for a few years, but in that short time alone he
has done a great deal to help the Society. Last December many of
us travelled to New York for the official opening of the Noël Coward
Suite at the Algonquin Hotel. Barry had contacted and lunched
with the British Consul General, Sir Philip Thomas, many months
beforehand and had invited him to make the formal dedication.
Barry, together with Geoffrey Johnson, chose and sourced
playbills, photographs, posters, paintings and letters and worked
tirelessly with the Algonquin staff to ensure that the items were
elegantly displayed in the Suite. And all of us who have seen the
Noël Coward Suite agree that the end result is quite outstanding.
Barry also arranged an unforgettable evening of cabaret for us, in
the Oak Room at The Algonquin, with Steve Ross as Master of
Ceremonies and with the crème de la crème of New York artists –
singers and actors performing for us.
During the Society’s first visit to New York in 2004, Barry’s
adaptation of ‘After the Ball’ was in rehearsal at the Irish Repertory
Theatre and he arranged for members to watch rehearsals and meet
the director and designer, Tony Walton.
Most recently Barry and Geoffrey Johnson were advisers for the
Service of Thanksgiving for Graham Payn and they also helped to
select items for display in the new Noël Coward Theatre.
Indeed, Barry has been the Society’s consultant, friend and
adviser, since its inception in 1999. But, we are honouring him
today largely because of his work as a writer about Noël Coward
and his unique involvement with Graham Payn and the Noël
Coward Estate.
Outstanding amongst Barry’s many works is his 1998
publication: Noël Coward “The Complete Lyrics”, that was
Continued on column 2 page 2...
Details of Coward Birthday Events inside - PLUS news of our latest event at Birmingham ON WITH THE DANCE!
...continued from column 1 page 1
...continued from column 2 page 1
For the 13 students attending the conference it was a
voyage of discovery that surprised and amazed them as Marcy
Kahan and James Copp explored the theatrical work of
Coward with a reading of Star Chamber and James Copp led
a master-class on Private Lives. John Knowles began the
conference with an introduction to Noël Coward using edited
written to celebrate the Centenary. Working in co-operation
with the Coward Estate, Barry researched and uncovered from
Noël’s personal archives, and elsewhere, over 200 new and
unknown lyrics, previously unseen in print. There are songs
from Noël ‘s unrecorded collaboration with Jerome Kern,
words from tunes from unfinished musicals, numbers dropped
from shows and then forgotten and additional verses from
well-known numbers. In all about 500 lyrics are presented.
The illustrations are fascinating – photographs of productions
from Noël ‘s own albums, programme covers, sheet music and
Noël’s own hand-written manuscripts. This book represents a
phenomenal achievement by Barry.
He was the co-author, with Graham Payn of ‘My Life with
Noël Coward’ . The book is dedicated to Barry and Graham
said “Without his superb help and encouragement it would
never have been completed. I am forever grateful and thank
him most sincerely for his wonderful support.”
Last year, to mark the publication of Barry’s – ‘Coward on
Film’, the Society arranged a special screening of ‘The
Scoundrel’ at the Charlotte Street Cinema. This book
represents another epic achievement, that documents every
film based on Noël ‘s work, as well as those in which he
appeared. The result is a remarkable list of Coward’s film
credits as actor, writer, producer and director – for over 50
years.
Other works include ‘Coward’s Revue Sketches and
Parodies’, ‘The Unknown Noël ‘ and ‘Noël Coward, In His
own Words’, which was recently presented to everyone
attending the June opening of The Noël Coward Theatre, in St.
Martin’s Lane. And now, of course, we have ‘The Letters’ to
look forward to.
I’ve learnt from Barry Ingham, who has played Noël for us
today, of Barry’s work for charity in the United States.
Together with friends such as Barry Ingham, Rosemary
Harris, Hayley Mills, Sally-Ann Howes and Simon Jones,
Barry has presented shows about Noël, the Lunts, Ivor
Novello and others, at literary and musical events over there
– helping to introduce people to the literature he loves so
much.
Indeed, Her Majesty, The Queen honoured Barry Day in
2004, when he was awarded an O.B.E. for services to British
Culture in the USA.
The Committee and members of the Noël Coward Society,
would like to honour you today by making you a Vice
President of the Society. You dedicated your wonderful book
‘The Complete Lyrics’ to Graham as “ The Keeper of the
Flame”. We would like to honour you, today Barry, as the
next - keeper of the flame. Thank you.”
Marcy Kahan and James Copp
with some of the ‘young actors’
highlights from Noël and Jeffrey Amherst’s home movie
footage that illustrated four aspects of Noël’s life in the late
1920s and early 1930s. Their first successful far eastern trip
together in 1929; life at Goldenhurst, Noël’s country home in
Kent, with his friends; life aboard the HMS Suffolk when
Noël and Jeffrey travelled from Shanghai as part of their
voyage and lastly footage shot of the Coward revue Words and
Music with a ‘special effects’ introduction shot by Coward but
never before edited together. Dominic Vlasto followed with a
masterly dissertation illustrated with extracts from Coward’s
musical work entitled, Taking Light Music Seriously. The text
and references to the musical extracts used will be published
at a later date as part of a Conference Companion volume.
The last session of the first day followed dinner and
revealed what a talented group of young actors were present at
the conference. Their reading of Star Chamber the lost and
forgotten gem of Tonight at 8.30, that only made its
appearance once in Coward’s successful theatrical
compendium, was masterly!
Saturday began with a moving
account of Coward and his
particular influence in the life and
development of the dramatist Marcy
Kahan. For many this was one of
the most interesting contributions to
the conference. It gave a personal
view of how Coward had provided
a paradigm for life and achievement
Marcy Kahan as Marcy from the age of ten began
to decide how she wanted to spend
her lifetime.
Geoffrey Johnson, Noël’s representative in North America
from the 1960s until his death gave us a warm recollection of
Noël with many personal recollections and stories that were
both personal and new to delegates. He spent some time
recalling the person, who in the light of events has perhaps yet
to be fully recognised in the Coward family, Cole Lesley. As
he said, “Cole knew more about Noël than Noël!” It was
Cole’s knowledge of Noël’s business affairs and his devoted
loyalty to him and his reputation that made Cole a unique and
vital figure in Noël’s life.
Continued on column 1 page 3...
Page 2
In reply Barry’s thoughts included the following:
“When I listened to Barbara's eulogy, my first thought was “Who is she talking about? This isn't me !”
Barry thanked the Society and recalled the work of the late
Graham Payn as the keeper of the Coward flame. He added
later:
“... there will never again be a single Keeper of the Flame.
We are ALL Keepers of the Flame and what brings us and
keeps us together is the desire to light that flame in as many
receptive hearts as possible...”
T
he Society is organising a very special event in
Birmingham in early spring next year, which will offer
members a unique opportunity to combine a
fascinating foray into the “official” Noël Coward
archives with both
passive and active
engagement in two
areas of Noël
Birmingham University Coward’s creative
life, Music and Dance.
Birmingham University, repository of the Noël Coward
Archive and host to the Coward Centenary Conference in
1999, will again be our hosts for this Society event. With them
we are arranging overnight accommodation on the University
campus, main meals and use of other University spaces.
This visit is being built around an offer from the Special
Collections department of the University Library to put on a
display of items in the Noël Coward collection. All of this
material is normally only viewable by strict appointment and
some of it remains “restricted” even then. The display will
include selections of original music and lyrics manuscripts,
scrapbooks, playscripts, photograph albums, diaries and
personal correspondence. There will be a guided talk by
Dominic Vlasto to accompany the display, and refreshments
will be served.
Around this we are planning two other main “events”: an
afternoon Thé Dansant, which will “use” exclusively Noël
Coward’s music of the 20s and 30s, and will be the vehicle for
demonstration/tuition of the dance-styles of that era, under the
direction of Richard Rose; the final event will be at the
Birmingham Electric Cinema, and will feature showings of
rarely-seen screen footage of Noël Coward’s work, from the
remarkable archive of
such material
maintained for the
March 24 and 25, 2007 Society by John
Knowles and Ken
Starrett.
The probable cost per member/guest will be around £100,
but at the moment this does not take into account Sunday
lunch, which has not yet been arranged or budgeted; we will
make every effort to include all meal and transportation
arrangements in the overall price, and to keep that price as low
as possible.
While there is a definite ceiling of around 30 persons for
the Special Collections archive visit, we do need a minimum
of this number of participants to make the whole plan viable,
and we shall have to commit to bookings, etc. before the end
of January.
Members who are interested in attending are therefore
asked to complete and return the enclosed form expressing
their interest as soon as possible, and confirm this by sending
a deposit payment. We shall allocate places on a strictly firstcome-first-served basis. This is really the ONLY opportunity
to sign up for this event, though there may just about be time
for a reminder with the final Home Chat of this year.
ON WITH THE DANCE
A few details are still to be confirmed, but the shape of the whole visit will be approximately as follows:
Sat. 24 March2-3pm:
4.00 - 6.00pm:
7.30pm:
Sun. 25 March
10.30am:
Lunch
2.30pm:
5.00pm:
P
Check in at Lucas House, Birmingham Universitywhere there is ample parking space for our
entire visit. Double or single accommodation is available.
Thé Dansant - probably at a University venue
Dinner at Lucas House with an after-dinner event (to be confirmed)
Breakfast at Lucas House & check-out of rooms
Visit to the Noël Coward Archive, Special Collections, Birmingham University Library
Venue & cost to be arranged
Event at the Birmingham Electric Cinema - transport to and from the University
campus will be provided
Arrival back at the University and departure.
roduced by the Society to coincide with the recent
Oxford
Conference,
we are now
able to offer this
elegant and lavishlyillustrated little
booklet for sale to
NCS Members.
Compiled by
Dominic Vlasto, the
catalogue is a stylish
addition to
worldwide
Cowardology, of
interest both as a
general reference and
as an essential guide
to collectors of sheetmusic.
Members in the
UK can obtain a copy/copies (post-free), please write
enclosing your cheque for £2.50 per copy (payable to The
Noël Coward Society) to: Dominic Vlasto, Long Gores
Studio, Hickling, Norfolk NR12 0BE.
Enquiries may also be addressed via email to:
[email protected]
The New Noël Coward
Catalogue of Sheet-Music
by Dominic Vlasto
Members in the USA may obtain a copy by writing to Ken
Starrett, 49 West 68th Street Apt # 1 R, New York, New York
10023, enclosing a cheque for $5 made payable to Ken
Starrett. You may also email orders to Ken at:
[email protected].
Please indicate the number of copies you would like and
provide your full name and address and telephone number.
Dominic Vlasto
Page 11
Conversation Piece
C
...continued from column 1 page 2
- an editor’s indulgent ramble!
On occasion this loyal Australian view of England may be
oward wrote in his 1941 book Australia Visited 1940
a little outdated. At breakfast in a rather upmarket B&B on
“My visit to Australia was a strange experience and
Magnetic Island - breakfast I might add was one of the
a very moving one. I toured all the states of that
owner’s proudest selling points, “Yes we like all our guests to
unique continent in seven weeks. There was not time
eat together at breakfast so that
to absorb many details of the war
everyone can get to know each other
effort there, but there are some things
and share their experiences of the
that I knew actually when I had been
previous day’s adventures.” Having
there for only a few days. Principal
just travelled for hours on a near
among these was the abiding loyalty
straight road through the coastal bush
among Australians to England.”
with the car on cruise control I feared
Written in wartime and at the
that our contribution to the debate
height of the Allies response to the
was likely to be minimal - but I
warring aspirations of the Axis
digress. In fact it was one of the
powers these radio broadcasts,
smaller highlights of the holiday.
published a year later by Coward for
During a journey through fresh
an English audience, have strong
tropical fruit, toast and coffee we
patriotic themes that echo the
explored Australian politics, work etc.
feelings of the time and are redolent
and towards the end one guest told us
of Cavalcade and it’s final toast.
in some detail of her planned first trip
Much of that unquestioning loyalty
to the UK. It would be easy here to
has gone but loyalty still exists.
scoff at what was revealed but as I
Despite a claimed public majority in
later reflected we all do it... anyway...
favour of establishing a republic the
most of all she wanted to visit the
present Prime Minister has remained
place where the television programme
committed to retaining the Queen as
Heartbeat was filmed. For those who
head of state. The ‘Pommies’ may be
Noël discovers that the cuddly Koala is in fact
are unaware of the series it takes
bashed mercilessly during the battle
a wild animal - this is not something to be
place in an England of the 1950s full
for ‘the ashes’ when our cricketing
recommended!
of nostalgic references, lovable
sides meet, but a deep affection for
rogues and stories of decency
England still lies embedded in the
outdoing evil. “Had she heard of Noël Coward?” I asked.
psyche of most Australians.
“Has he ever been in Heartbeat?” she responded. I was doing
This August saw a long held dream come true when we
it as well. Not exactly waiting for a corkvisited Queensland and explored coast and
bobbing hatted ‘gooday’ fella to appear
reef from Cape Tribulation to Brisbane.
round the corner but I did hope I would see
Before you think that this ramble is turning
Kangaroos in the wild and walk into a dusty
into the literary equivalent of the evenings I
pub for a ‘stubby’ of XXXX. Well as for the
spent as a child seeing ‘Uncle Clive’s 1,000
latter we did. The enormous wooden pubs
slides of the Algarve’ - let me be clear that
with hundreds of rooms and large dining
the reason I write is that the visit prompted
halls and bars still dominate the Atherton
thoughts of Coward’s wartime visit here and
Tablelands and stubby’s (an insulated
the legacy that remains.
container for holding a bottle of ice-cold
There is a flourishing Noël Coward
beer) are de rigeur. The Kangaroos
Appreciation Society in South Australia.
however waited for us in a local zoo
Some three years ago we reprinted a story
together with Cassowaries that road signs
from their own newsletter about a member
warned jump out in front of cars on every
who still had the red carnation she was
road but never fortunately bothered us.
given from Noël’s buttonhole when he
Luckily we did see Koalas in the wild made that wartime visit. Member Lewis
grey teddies hugging eucalyptus trees in a
Fiander a noted performer of Coward lives
sleep humans can only dream of.
there. We have a small but loyal group of
Koala on Magnetic Island - 2006
Back home to join Barbara Longford,
members across the country with Robert
Stephen Greenman, Robert Gardiner and the rest of the team
Wickham in New South Wales as our representative. The exwho had been working so hard on the Oxford Conference. A
pat interest in this quintessential English figure is as vital as
few days later gathering together my technical marvels, a
ever. On my travels I asked several Australians whether they
bookshop of books and a car full of people I headed off for
had heard of Coward and all but one had - although some
Oxford. Ten miles out of Norwich we broke down and waited
were a little sketchy as to who he actually was and what he
for the AA for over 2 hours - enough to say our loyalty to
had done and not enough passion was ever shown to give me
England and the ‘4th Emergency Service’ and my own
the confidence to pull out a membership form - or as we say
heartbeat were fully tested as we waited on the verge and I
in the UK - do a ‘Ken Starrett’ (he never feels fully dressed
recalled Noël and the wonders of beautiful Australia.
without them - hence the huge growth in US membership!)
John Knowles
Page 10
After coffee on Saturday morning some delegates went on a
literary walking tour of Oxford celebrating figures who had
attended the university and, as importantly, those like Noël
who did not attend any
university at all! The
remaining delegates
watched two fascinating
interviews that Coward
gave to David Frost in
America in 1968 and 1970.
David Frost asked “How
would you define success?”
Noël replied, “Box Office”
These interviews had
been obtained by Ken
Starrett and were shown together with the film of Fumed Oak
(starring Stanley Holloway) part of Meet Me Tonight a filmed
version of three of the
plays from Tonight At 8.30.
In the afternoon Sean
Malone gave a very
interesting account of the
relationship between Noël
and The Lunts - Alfred
Lunt and Lynn Fontanne,
who were the most famous
theatre couple of the last
century and whose legacy
is revealed at their home
Ten Chimneys now
preserved for posterity by
the Ten Chimneys
Foundation. Sean is the
Foundation’s President. He
included two videos. One
Stephen Fry
of a tour of Ten Chimneys
showing its restoration and the house as it is today and another
of an interview by Dick Cavett of Noël and The Lunts after
they had received Tony
Diners on the ‘Nina’ table at the
awards. The Lunts starred
formal dinner
with Noël in 1933 in
Design For Living a play
he had written for them.
Stephen Fry had taken a
break from filming in
Swaffham, Norfolk for his
new television series and
driven through a
horrendous traffic queue
(due to roadworks in
Oxford) to join us for a
wonderful reading of
extracts from Noël’s short
story Me And The Girls.
(This story was adapted as
a play in the 1980s and
produced by the BBC
starring Tom Courtenay).
Stephen responded to
questions before being
photographed with the young actors and talking informally to
delegates. Then back to Swaffham for a midnight shoot!
The final seminar of the day was a masterclass conducted
by James Copp with the ‘young actors’ on Private Lives
revealing yet again the emerging talent that lies in those who
were involved. It is interesting to speculate whether all or any
of them will ‘make it’ in one way or another in the theatre,
film or television.
Sean Malone After a break,
delegates put on
their black ties and
dresses according
to their taste and
assembled on the
lawn for a
champagne
cocktail party (see
page 6 for a
photograph of the
full company!) Then in to dinner where at suitably titled tables
the company enjoyed a splendid formal meal together. Then on
to the evening cabaret featuring Michael Law and
Sheridan Morley in extracts from their successful West
End show followed by Steve Ross with guests Rebecca
Hamway and Dominic Vlasto (see Dominic’s piece on
Page 8) - a delightful end to the main day of the
conference.
On Sunday morning Dr. Sos Eltis gave us a vibrant
talk on Notes on Camp, Flippancy and Frivolity that
included extracts from The Italian Job showing
Coward’s notable appearances.
Alan Farley chaired an interesting discussion
entitled Speaking of Noël...” where Hélène Catsiapis,
Patrick Newley, Ken Starrett and Sheridan Morley
recounted personal reminiscences of Coward and
reflections on how they had become interested in Noël
and his work. Ken Starrett recalled the audition he gave
for The Master.
The final session was an entertainment based on the
forthcoming book The Noël Coward Letters by Barry
Day. With Barrie Ingham as Noël, Anne Rogers, Susan Tracy
and William Oxborrow - narrated by Barry, with musical
interludes by Steve Ross at the piano. This curtain-raiser
to the book of Noël’s letters to be published in
September 2007 gave a wonderful insight into Coward’s
life and work and his relationship with friends and
contemporaries.
Committee member and representative of the Noël
Coward Foundation Robert Gardiner, who did so much
behind the scenes to secure the work of the conference,
provided closing comments and thanks to all those who
took part, the organising committee and the leadership
and inspiration provided by Barbara Longford who
initiated and organised the event.
Quotes from those who attended can be seen on
pages 6 and 7. They make clear how successful and
enjoyable the weekend was. We look forward to the
next notable Society event. Thanks go to Barbara and
all those who organised and attended such a splendid
event. Special thanks to Jan and Geoff King and June
Weeks for organising and manning the Conference
Bookshop and to Andrew Weeks and Ken Starrett for
their photography. Thanks to Timothy Morgan-Owen
and his wonderful Gertrude Lawrence collection. Thanks also
to Tom and Simon Brocklehurst for all their technical support.
Not least our thanks to St. Catherine’s College whose staff
were unfailingly helpful - whatever the hour!
Page 3
I
n December 1929 while in Tokyo, Noël Coward first had a
Suzanne Bouchard as Amanda generate superabundant heat.
vision of Gertrude Lawrence in a white Molyneux gown
Sparks fly from the moment they first re-connect on the
on a terrace in the south of France. Three weeks later in a
terrace. Bouchard’s initial lilting rendition of ‘Someday I’ll
hotel room in Shanghai while recovering from the flu, the
Find You’ ends with a scratchy, scrappy “Again!”, providing
vision became a play. On September 24, 1930 in London that
Bouchard with an opening gambit that foreshadows her later
play burst forth upon the world as Private Lives. The critical
penchant for ear biting, eye gouging, and record shattering. In
opinion of the time thought the
contrast, when she appears in
play thin, brittle and tenuous.
her white evening dress, her
However, the dazzling
magnetism is irresistible. Half
performances of Noël Coward
Coward, half Antonio
and Gertrude Lawrence proved
Banderas, Breckenridge’s
irresistible and forever
suave, athletic Elyot leaps
established in the public mind
across the set to re-woo and rethe Coward image of sharp wit
win Amanda, pinning her
by Ken Starrett and Kathy Williams
and sophistication. Following
against the terrace wall and
the original New York
(per Coward’s stage directions)
production in 1931, who could
kissing her violently. Who
have known what lasting value
wouldn’t be breathless with
this “thin, brittle” play would
such steamy stuff?
have.
Transported to Paris,
An amazingly successful
Amanda and Elyot ricochet
revival in 1948 starred the
between lust and rage. In
irrepressible Tallulah Bankhead.
soigné lounging clothes, they
Since that time there have been
play records and dance, first a
some 87 professional
torrid tango to Django
productions and countless
Reinhardt’s gypsy guitar, then a
amateur presentations all across
slinky waltz to “Someday I’ll
the country. In the past year
Find You”. In the quiet eye of
Ken Starrett
Kathy Williams
alone, whether in Florida, Texas
their emotional storm, they loll
or California, America has seen some 62 productions.
on the floor, speaking of God and the afterlife. Elyot sums up:
Enthusiastic NCS member, Kathy Williams saw the play in
“Death’s very laughable, such a cunning little mystery. All
Washington at the acclaimed Seattle Rep. Here are her
done with mirrors.” Under Barre’s direction, near-death
thoughts on the Seattle production that delighted audiences
experiences for Elyot and Amanda—and their mirrors, Victor
earlier this year.
and Sybil—are all laughable. Bickering escalates to throttling,
“Pre-performance, to the gratifying strains of ‘Mrs
which could unnerve the audience except for the jolly
Worthington’, ‘Poor Little Rich Girl’, ‘Mad Dogs and
background music and comic tone, informing us that it’s not
Englishmen’, and other Coward standards, the audience,
serious, really.
sipped cocktails and clustered in front of floor-to-ceiling
Allen Fitzpatrick as Victor and Nikki Coble as Sibyl are
banners featuring large photographs of Coward. Especially
almost too likeable and attractive—at first. Fortunately, they
nice were photos of the young Noël
soon worm their way out of our hearts.
as Prince Mussel in The Goldfish; a
Fitzpatrick captures Victor’s tweedy
debonair pair of portraits of Coward
tone of stubborn, boring stodginess,
and Graham Payn; Coward in khaki,
and Coble’s lovely Sibyl shrieks and
performing for troops in World War
sobs and snivels with enough feckless
II; and a relaxed, retired Sir Noël in
obstinacy to drive anyone mad. Lori
Jamaica. The biographical text on
Larsen is an effectively comic Louise,
the banners presented a brief but
dismissing the post-fight mess with a
generally accurate overview of
Gallic shrug: clearly, she’s seen it all
Coward’s life and work.
before.
On with the show. Early in Act
Private Lives played at the Bagley
Lindsay Duncan and Alan Rickman in the
I Amanda says, “I think very few
Wright Theatre, the largest of Seattle
people are normal really, deep down 2001/2002 revival of Private Lives
Rep’s three stages, with ample room
in their private lives.” Accentuating
onstage for an enormous crystal
the characters’ distance from “normal”, Director Gabriel Barre
chandelier hanging from the ceiling of Amanda’s Parisian flat.
sustains a refreshingly brisk pace throughout the play and
Both of Walt Spangler’s opulent sets glowed and glittered,
setting a swanky tone. Costumes by Elizabeth Hope Clancy
spikes Amanda and Elyot’s decline and fall—from their brief
were stylish and gorgeous.
attempt at normalcy (honeymoons in the south of France) to
Items of interest from the program: 1) an illustrated threethe depths of their private lives (donnybrooks in Paris).
page biography of Noël Coward (by Christine Sumption,
Although the audience responded with loudest laughter and
applause to Amanda’s quip, “It doesn’t suit men for women to
Director of Dramaturgy at Seattle Rep); and 2) Seattle Rep
be promiscuous…”, kudos go to director Barre and the actors
offered (their caps and bold letters) SPECIAL THANKS,
for eliciting nearly as much laughter from such witty
presumably for answers to many questions, to “Stephen
rejoinders as “Yes.”
Marshall, Noël Coward Society”.
The attractive Rob Breckenridge as Elyot and glamorous
Actor’s egos have never been able to resist the chance to
“Private Lives”
in Public
Page 4
certainly never heard before, ‘This Seems To Be The
Moment’. One was staggered, given that it was the only piece
of music to which Graham ever set his name, that it was quite
so good! The song has an unusual construct: the first “verse”
is a typical, yearning, lyrical love-song refrain sung by the
boy, to which the girl then responds in a second “verse”, with
great cynicism set to an altogether “spikier” lyric and melody.
Then – surprise, surprise! – you find the two apparently very
different verses actually fit together at the same time. The set
was brought to a rousing conclusion with Steve and Rebecca
performing Martin and Gray’s ‘Home Sweet Heaven’, with
Dominic interpolating the lyrics Coward wrote for the song
when he did his own recording of it.
Despite the fact that the bar was, unaccountably, just in the
process of closing when we finally emerged, I came out of the
whole thing feeling I had enjoyed myself, which is probably a
pretty good sign. We’d not fluffed any of our lyrics too
dreadfully, managed to make it all appear reasonably graceful
and effortless, and satisfied a discriminating audience. Who
could ask for anything more?
Well, you couldn’t ask for more than the comment made
by one of my guests for the evening, “You do that great and
delicious man [NC] great credit”. That’s really what it was all
about.
Dominic Vlasto
Tribute to Noël Coward
Theatre Museum, Covent Garden
The photograph below is of those involved in A Tribute to
Noël Coward by Elizabeth Sharland and performed by a
group of actors on two Sundays at the Theatre Museum last
month. Both Sundays were very well attended and The Stage
recorded the event with this photograph. Those who took part
This Punch cartoon was discovered at Les Avants by Barry
Day. It first appeared on September 28, 1966
COWARD THE MENTOR
signed a petition to save the Theatre Museum. The irony is of
course that it has now been announced that the V & A
Governors have decided, in effect, to close The Theatre
Museum. The partnership arrangement with the Royal Opera
House has been scrapped and limited storage and access to the
archives appears to be all that remains. The reality is that,
without funding, a national museum of the theatre is not
sustainable and despite all the efforts of so many theatrical
stars and interested bodies only money can provide a future
home for such an essential institution. For ourselves we have
lost part of our London home - the scene of so many Coward
events funded by the Noël Coward Foundation and the annual
gathering of our own society. It is sad that at the point when
so much is being done to revitalise the West End its museum
is to close.
A recent article on Tommy Steele in the Daily Mail by
Frances Hardy indicates Noël’s influence on the young
performer as he set sail for musical theatre.
“Poised to begin a career in musical theatre, Tommy
lunched at the Savoy with Noël Coward. Coward with his
rapid, clipped upper crust diction, was an unlikely devotee of
Steele, who was raised in dockside Bermondsey, South East
London. ‘The theatre is calling you dear boy, he pronounced,
shortly before Tommy embarked on a 50 year career in
entertainment that has taken him from the West End to
Hollywood.” (We all know that Coward had no idea what
being brought up in reduced circumstances in London was
like don’t we!).
Coward also had a penchant for the American singer
Johnnie Ray the singer renowned for his success despite the
loss of hearing in his right ear. He often wore a purple hearing
aid when he performed. An operation later left him with
virtually no hearing.
Coward Birthday Celebrations and lunch at The Ivy - Saturday 16th December 2006
This year’s celebrations in London are: The AGM of the Society starting at 10.30am at the Theatre Museum, Covent Garden
with coffee on arrival, Simon Callow will be laying flowers on the statue of Noël Coward at the Theatre Royal, Drury, Lane,
London 11.45am for 12.00 noon. This will be followed by drinks at Drury Lane in the Foyer Bar. Simon will be joining NCS
members and guests for drinks at The Ivy at 1.00pm prior to lunch at 1.30pm followed by cabaret with American cabaret artiste
Joyce Breech and her accompanist John Pearce. The entry to the AGM and the flower-laying at Drury Lane is free of charge and
includes drinks at the Foyer Bar. The cost of lunch and cabaret at The Ivy is £90 per member or guest - this includes wine and
water at the table and drinks on arrival. The menu is: Baked Spinach & Beenleigh Blue Tart - Breast of Goosnargh Chicken with
butternnut squash risotto and a pumpkin seed salsa - Hazelnut Praline Ice Cream with toffee sauce - Full Roast Coffee, Fauchon
Teas and Petit Fours. The wines are: Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine ‘sur lie’, Domaine la Morinière Loire 2005 and Pinot Noir ‘Les
Fumées Noires’, J et F Lurton, Vin de Pays d’Oc 2005. Please complete the enclosed booking form and send with a £30 deposit.
Page 9
P
1925, but that is was rejected for issue. Had it been issued, it
utting together an evening of cabaret entertainment
would have been the first ever Noël Coward recording. There
for an audience consisting largely of Coward culdees
then followed thirteen years while the song languished unused
had, at times, its daunting elements! From a
in a drawer, only emerging in print in the 1938 Concert Party
performer’s point of view, knowing that you will be
Album, which seems to have been seen by Coward as an
being scrutinized by an audience who know it all and have
opportunity to get some neglected numbers into circulation. It
probably seen it all many times before (and maybe better
is a welldone!) means that
constructed,
nervousness levels
gentle, revueare high.
by DOMINIC VLASTO (image from Barry Day)
type comedy
On the other
THIS SEEMS TO BE THE MOMENT
hand … this was the nicest, most sympathetic, most tolerant
and admiring audience one could have hoped to play to!
Everyone was there with one primary concern: to pay
appropriate homage to the inspired creations of the Master,
and this meant that it was a truly captive and attentive forum,
one in which it was the music which was the most important
thing. For once, the individual
performers, despite being centre-stage,
were able to take a metaphorical back
seat.
Advance planning, however, had
bristled with the difficulties of ensuring
that somehow, between three different
music-presentations (Michael Law &
Sheridan Morley, Steve Ross with guest
artists, and the following day’s ‘Letters’
presentation by Barry Day with Steve
Ross) we could avoid any overlaps in
repertoire.
All problems of this nature were
solved by one simple stroke of genius,
which came in the form of a suggestion
from Steve Ross which reflects on the
man’s essential modesty. Feeling a little
self-conscious of the prospect of himself
bringing coals to Newcastle, he
suggested that his set of cabaret should
consist of songs not written by Coward,
but nevertheless inspired by or imitating
the style of or in some other way
associated with Coward. And hey presto! We have a perfect
balance to the cabaret evening, with something familiar for
everyone and also plenty of “fresh” material which is unlikely
to have been much heard before.
This is what I have written before about Michael Law’s
performances of Coward’s music: “I cannot recommend this
artist highly enough, for straightforward verbal clarity without
histrionics, pleasing vocal quality brought to bear in the
"singer's" songs, and neatly stylish self-accompaniments”.
The thing that is most memorable about Michael’s
performance is that he doesn’t draw attention to himself; that
is to say, you are always left with the impression that it’s the
song he’s singing which is the really important thing. And
you really do hear the song, with great clarity of diction and
purity of vocal tone, and great delicacy in his own
accompaniment. Nothing gets in the way.
Punctuating a zesty and wide-ranging biographical
commentary from Sheridan Morley, Michael performed
several well-known Coward songs, but managed to delight
even the serious aficionados by introducing some “neglected”
numbers which are, sadly, nowadays not much heard. ‘We
Must All Be Very Kind To Auntie Jessie’ is one of these, an
early comedy song from 1924. The HMV archives show that
NC himself made a recording of this piece on 10th August
Page 8
point-number, which was worth the effort to expose it. It has
the typically Cowardesque lyric attitude of benign derision, in
this case at the expense of a maiden aunt obviously without
much sense of humour. Or, rather, the humour is that of the
penetrating truth of childhood describing what it sees; there is
a lot of the black comedy of Saki in this song.
There were two big thrills, for me,
in Michael’s programme: firstly
Coward’s song ‘Something Very
Strange’, sung by Elaine Stritch in
Sail Away, which I have loved ever
since first hearing Stritch singing it on
the 1961 Original Cast recording. I
absolutely agree with Stritch that this
song is “almost poetry”, and would go
further in saying that this is also
musically one of the best-constructed
refrains that Coward ever wrote. The
second thrill came with Michael’s
only foray into non-Coward material,
the Carroll Gibbons song ‘It’s Only
You’, for which, when he recorded it
with Gibbons in 1941, NC supplied
his own lyrics for a final refrain. It is
a lovely encapsulation of the musical
work that brought them both together,
with references in the lyrics to
Gibbons as a bandleader and BBC
broadcasting fees and the fact that it
was wartime too.
This piece – “associated with” but not actually by Coward
- gave us the “link” to Steve Ross’s second set of cabaret,
where things were the other way round: there was only one
piece actually by NC, the “cut” number ‘Long Live The King’
from The Girl Who Came To Supper. (This was my own
opportunity to present an “unknown” number, and I can’t
comment any further!) The rest of the material was by such as
Dick Vosbrugh (‘Mr Mississippi’, a witty NC-comedy-songstyle parody), Cole Porter (parodying the more tortured of
NC’s musical style in ‘What Am I To Do’, stylishly presented
by Barrie Ingham), Norman Hackforth (one of his
contributions to Sigh No More, ‘Music Hath Charms’, also
presented by myself), and several numbers from Hugh Martin
and Timothy Gray’s 1964 musical adaptation of Blithe Spirit,
High Spirits, which starred Beatrice Lillie as Madame Arcati.
Here Steve was joined by one of the Conference students,
Rebecca Hamway, for the solo song ‘You’d Better Love Me’
and the duet ‘I Know Your Heart’. There was a lot of style
there, too, for a youngster who had been thrown in at the deep
end among rather voracious sharks!
But it was another of Steve’s particular selections for the
evening, in duet with Rebecca, which for me was the really
special item: a piece written for The Lyric Revue by Cole
Lesley (words) and Graham Payn (music), which I had
play such delicious roles as Elyot and Amanda. While the
casting may not always be ideal, audiences have had the
pleasure of seeing Tallulah Bankhead / Donald Cook - Elaine
Stritch / Russel Nype - Maggie Smith / John Standing Barbara Rush / Louis Jourdan - Alexis Smith / Victor Jory Keir Dullea / Mia Dillon - Tammy Grimes / Brian Bedford Elizabeth Taylor / Richard Burton - Joan Collins / Simon
Jones - Lindsay
Duncan / Alan
Rickman and
many others.
The play has
even gained
international
renown. In 2004
Paris enjoyed a
very successful
production
Lunes De Miel - 2004
(entitled Lunes
De Miel). In the 1980s a Mexican production (La Vida
Privada) starred popular actress, Silvia Pinal.
An all-Asian cast presented the play in 1995.
Private Lives has gone beyond the bounds of a theatre
proscenium to gain popularity in two film versions – Norma
Shearer and Robert Montgomery (1931) and a French film
version called Les Amants Terribles (1936). On television it
has been seen with Penelope Keith and Alec McCowen (1976)
and heard on radio with Gertrude Lawrence and Orson Welles
(1939) and Patricia Routledge and Paul Scofield (1983).
An instinct for
Lunes De Miel - 2004
what would
entertain an
audience, a sharp
sense of timing
and a biting wit
all blended to
create what would
become
“quintessential
Coward.” In spite
of critical opinion
and changing tastes over the last 70 years, there is no question
that Private Lives has clearly endured to become a modern
classic comedy.
H
The original productions took place over a period of 3
ow many times do we hear references to Coward’s
years;
1961 on Broadway (with orchestrations by Irwin
musical Sail Away? As recently as the Oxford
Kostal),
1962 in London and lastly in Australia in 1963 (both
Conference it was quoted by speakers on a number
with
orchestrations
by Wally Stott). After this, all the
of occasions. And what about the rest of us? ‘Gone but not
orchestrations
forgotten’ would have
seem to have been
been an apt phrase,
mislaid. A new
except that after a gap of
Stewart
Nicholls
and
Celia
Cologne
generation of
over 40 years this
composers
took
over
the
musicals
scene,
Sail
Away being
sparkling show is making its re-appearance, now on the
considered
to
be
of
the
‘old
school.’
We
now
know better!
amateur scene.
Too
late
for
Stewart’s
publication,
the
original
London
Stewart Nicholls, committee member,
orchestrations
were
found
in
Australia
and
director and archivist, with a dedicated
the
American
orchestrations
in
Denver!
interest in British Musicals is responsible
These were in quite a state and the
for the restoration of this, one of the last
American
orchestrations were restored
of Coward’s musicals. This restoration
especially
for an authentic concert version
was made possible with a bursary from
at
Carnegie
Hall in New York for the
the Foundation of Sports and the Arts. In
Coward
Centenary
Show in 1999, starring
the course of his research, Stewart had
Elaine
Stritch.
access to the London script which
Another version, an adaptation by Barry
remains unaltered. However, in order to
Day,
was performed by the Tower Theatre
ease publication of the piece so that it
Company
in July 1999, but this bore little
could be made available for performance
relation
to
the original piece.
by amateurs and professionals; stage
Celia
Cologne,
one of our members, is
directions, scenic descriptions, music
currently
rehearsing
the 2nd only amateur
cues and lyric inconsistencies had to be
production,
at
Christchurch,
Dorset, with
clarified or added.
Theatre
2000.
Stewart
Nicholls
produced
The vocal score was transcribed by
the
first
staging
of
this
restoration
at
Stewart working from the original
Woking
in
Surrey
in
1998
when
he
was a
American and London cast recordings.
student!
The orchestration and vocal arrangements
Sail Away has all the ingredients for a
were then realised by Rowland Lee
very
entertaining evening: it has pace,
whose aim was to be as authentic as
presents
a
tour
de
force
for the leading lady, a string of
possible to the original sound of the original orchestrations.
interesting
characters,
catchy
numbers and a score that
As the dance music was not recorded on the original
preserves
the
authentic
voice
of
the Master. We are confident
recordings, it was newly created by Stewart utilising themes
that
the
time
has
come
for
this
show
to take its place in the
from the songs that needed dance breaks. These are as close
regular
repertoire
of
amateur
companies
the length and
to the period of the piece and the spirit of Coward as possible.
breadth
of
the
country.
We
just
need
to
make
societies aware
By good fortune, Joan Hirst (Coward’s last secretary)
that
the
piece
is
now
available
for
performance.
Perusal
unearthed the music manuscript of the Italian Wedding
material
can
be
obtained
through
Warner
Chappell
Music Ltd
sequence from the attic of her flat in Cadogan Square shortly
(c/o
Claire
Osborne
on
020
7368
2648).
before she died.
SAIL AWAY - THEN and NOW
Page 5
CONFERENCE ALBUM
Delegates at the champagne cocktail party
THANKS AND COMMENTS
“The venue was excellent the programme well-balanced with
superb speakers; the students brought a real new dimension.”
“Like a fairy you turned this week-end into paradise for each
of us.”
“I hugely enjoyed the conference and found it both
fascinating and fun - and terifyingly well organised!”
“It was a wonderful success from start to finish and so
enjoyed by all who were lucky enough to attend.”
Geoffrey Johnson
Page 6
“the whole weekend was a triumph of organisation containing
a cornucopia of fascinating presentations, anecdotes and
performances.”
“Thank you so much for sponsoring me through the Noël
Coward Conference and for giving me the opportunity to take
part in performances. I had a fantastic time.”
“It was such a privilege to hear Geoffrey Johnson speak; from
my point of view as a twenty-three year old Coward fan it
was like listening to an ambassador from another world, and I
loved his Garbo story.”
Marcy Kahan on the walking tour of Oxford
Jan King and Stephen Greenman
“A personal thank you from me for all of your hard work,
efficiency and effectiveness and the sheer determination you
showed to see the project through as it was envisaged and to
the quality levels you espouse.”
“One could be allowed one dud session but we didn’t have one
- all interesting and varied - you must be very pleased. Well
done.”
“The right blend of Coward’s plays, songs, stories and
personality, the right balance between education and
entertainment.”
“I think that everyone enjoyed themselves enormously. Beyond
the entertainment value, a goal I had hoped for was solidly
achieved and that was giving people who knew little about
Coward the chance to learn something of his work.”
“The nicest surprise was finding that the fellow society
members were a friendly bunch, dedicated to a sense of fun
and style that pervades the work - too often one finds special
interest groups will study their subject, but not live it.”
“It was a wonderful conference and I learned so much about
Noël Coward. Can’t wait to begin reading one of the books of
short stories... so enthused as I was by Stephen Fry’s
rendering.”
Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry with the young actors at the conference
Page 7