Seven BBC radio full-cast productions of Noel Coward's classic plays - plus bonus material including a profile of Coward and extracts from his diariesRenowned for his wit, style and sophistication, Noel Coward was one of the greatest playwrights of the twentieth century. His plays, set in the glittering world of high society in which he lived, are much admired and have remained in the popular theatre repertoire to this day.This collection brings together the very best radio adaptations of Coward's works, encompassing sparkling comedies of manners Private Livesand Hay Fever, farcical ghost story Blithe Spirit, and daring menage a trois drama Design for Living. Here, too, is his controversial first hit The Vortex; the poignant Still Life (the inspiration for the film Brief Encounter); and the semi-autobiographical Present Laughter.Among the star-studded cast are Helena Bonham-Carter, Bill Nighy, Judi Dench, Celia Imrie, Roger Allam, Harriet Walter, Paul Rhys, Stephanie Cole and Paul Scofield.Also included is a BBC World Service profile of Noel Coward, comprising interviews, musical extracts and archive clips; and the BBC Radio 4 programme 'From His Diaries', featuring a selection of passages from Coward's journal read by Simon Cadell.Private LivesAmanda...Helena Bonham-Carter Elyot...Bill Nighy Sibyl...Andrea Riseborough Victor...Paul RitterLouise...AnnaRose Cattanach Directed by Sally Avens Hay FeverJudith Bliss...Judi Dench David Bliss...Michael Williams Richard Greatham...Geoffrey Palmer Marya Arundel...Celia Imrie Jackie Coryton...Patricia Brake Sandy Tyrell...Christopher Blake Simon Bliss...Patrick Pearson Sorel Bliss...Alison Reid Qara...Patricia Hayes Directed by Leslie Lawton Blithe SpiritCharles...Roger Allam Madame Arcati...Maggie Steed Elvira...Zoe WaitesRuth...Hermione GullifordDr Bradman...David Killick Mrs Bradman...Tilly Tremayne Edith...Natalie Cassidy Dramatised by Bert Coules Directed by Philip Franks Design for Living Gilda...Cheryl Campbell Otto...Alex JenningsLeo...Michael KitchenErnest Friedman...James LaurensonMr Birbeck...Alan Barker Henry Carver...Bradley Lavell Miss Hodge/Helen...Joanna Myers Grace Torrence...Linda Marlowe Directed by Ned Chaillet Pianist: Jimmy Hardwick The Vortex Florence Lancaster...Harriet Walter Nicky...Paul Rhys Helen...Frances JeaterPawnie...John RyeClara Hibbert...Jenny FunnellTom Veryan...Robert Portal David Lancaster...Peter BlytheBunty Mainwaring...Federay HolmesBruce Fairlight...Keith DrinkelPreston...Pamela Grace Directed by John Tydeman Pianist: Mike Sykes Still Life Laura Lesson...Amanda RootDr Alec Harvey...John DuttineMyrtle Bagott...Stephanie ColeAlbert Godby...Trevor PeacockBeryl Waters/Lady on Train...Sunny OrmondeStanley...Brian ParrDolly Messiter...Josephine TewsonBill...Richard CurnowJohnny/Guard...Malcolm McKeeDramatised by Malcolm McKee Directed by Sue Wilson Music composed by Malcolm McKee Present Laughter Gary Essendine...Paul ScofieldLiz Essendine...Joy ParkerMonica Reed...Patricia RoutledgeJoanna Lyppiatt...Fenella FieldingHenry Lyppiatt...Alan RoweMorris Dixon...Bernard JoynerDaphne Stillington...Miriam MargolyesLady Saltburn...Betty Huntley-Wright Fred...Timothy BatesonMiss Erikson...Diana OlssonRoland Maule...David Timson Dramatised and produced by Ian Cotterell Duration: 14 hours approx....

Vorwort
Seven BBC radio full-cast dramatisations of Noël Coward's classic plays plus bonus material including a profile of Coward and extracts from his diaries

Autorentext
Noël Coward was born in 1899, and was a professional actor by the age of ten. In 1920, he starred in his own play, I'll Leave it to You. His first major hit was The Vortex (1924) and his success continued throughout the Twenties and Thirties with plays including Hay Fever (1926), Private Lives (1930) and Design for Living (1932). During the Second World War, he wrote the patriotic screenplayIn Which We Serve (1942), for which he won an Oscar; as well as scripting the classic film Brief Encounter (1944) and entertaining the nation with the black comedy Blithe Spirit (1941). After the war, Coward added a new string to his bow as a cabaret singer, as well as continuing to write musicals and plays. In all, Coward wrote 40 plays, 300 songs and numerous poems, short stories and films. He was knighted in 1970, and died in Jamaica in 1973.

Klappentext

Seven BBC radio full-cast dramatisations of Noel Coward's classic plays - plus bonus material including a profile of Coward and extracts from his diaries Renowned for his wit, style and sophistication, Noel Coward was one of the greatest playwrights of the twentieth century.

Zusammenfassung

Seven BBC radio full-cast productions of Noël Coward's classic plays plus bonus material including a profile of Coward and extracts from his diaries

Renowned for his wit, style and sophistication, Noël Coward was one of the greatest playwrights of the twentieth century. His plays, set in the glittering world of high society in which he lived, are much admired and have remained in the popular theatre repertoire to this day.

This collection brings together the very best radio adaptations of Coward's works, encompassing sparkling comedies of manners Private Livesand Hay Fever, farcical ghost story** Blithe Spirit,** and daring ménage à trois drama Design for Living. Here, too, is his controversial first hit The Vortex; the poignant** Still Life** (the inspiration for the film Brief Encounter); and the semi-autobiographical Present Laughter.

Among the star-studded cast are Helena Bonham-Carter, Bill Nighy, Judi Dench, Celia Imrie, Roger Allam, Harriet Walter, Paul Rhys, Stephanie Cole and Paul Scofield.

Also included is a BBC World Service profile of Noël Coward, comprising interviews, musical extracts and archive clips; and the BBC Radio 4 programme 'From His Diaries', featuring a selection of passages from Coward's journal read by Simon Cadell.

*Private Lives
*AmandaHelena Bonham-Carter
ElyotBill Nighy
SibylAndrea Riseborough
VictorPaul Ritter
LouiseAnnaRose Cattanach
Directed by Sally Avens

Hay Fever
Judith BlissJudi Dench
David BlissMichael Williams
Richard GreathamGeoffrey Palmer
Marya ArundelCelia Imrie
Jackie CorytonPatricia Brake
Sandy TyrellChristopher Blake
Simon BlissPatrick Pearson
Sorel BlissAlison Reid
QaraPatricia Hayes
Directed by Leslie Lawton

*Blithe Spirit
*CharlesRoger Allam
Madame ArcatiMaggie Steed
ElviraZoe Waites
RuthHermione Gulliford
Dr BradmanDavid Killick
Mrs BradmanTilly Tremayne
EdithNatalie Cassidy
Dramatised by Bert Coules
Directed by Philip Franks

Design for Living
GildaCheryl Campbell
OttoAlex Jennings
LeoMichael Kitchen
Ernest FriedmanJames Laurenson
Mr BirbeckAlan Barker
Henry CarverBradley Lavell
Miss Hodge/HelenJoanna Myers
Grace TorrenceLinda Marlowe
Directed by Ned Chaillet
Pianist: Jimmy Hardwick

The Vortex
Florence LancasterHarriet Walter
NickyPaul Rhys
HelenFrances Jeater
PawnieJohn Rye
Clara HibbertJenny Funnell
Tom VeryanRobert Portal
David LancasterPeter Blythe
Bunty MainwaringFederay Holmes
Bruce FairlightKeith Drinkel
PrestonPamela Grace
Directed by John Tydeman
Pianist: Mike Sykes

Still Life
Laura LessonAmanda Root
Dr Alec HarveyJohn Duttine
Myrtle BagottStephanie Cole
Albert GodbyTrevor Peacock
Beryl Waters/Lady on TrainSunny Ormonde
StanleyBrian Parr
Dolly MessiterJosephine Tewson
BillRichard Curnow
Johnny/GuardMalcolm McKee
Dramatised by Malcolm McKee
Directed by Sue Wilson
Music composed by Malcolm McKee

Present Laughter
Gary EssendinePaul Scofield
Liz EssendineJoy Parker
Monica ReedPatricia Routledge
Joanna LyppiattFenella Fielding
Henry LyppiattAlan Rowe
Morris DixonBernard Joyner
Daphne Still…