With the support of The Noël Coward Foundation, the Theatre Museum will present a short season celebrating the comic genius of Coward in words and music.
Nov. 2: The Plays A study day on Noël Coward's comic writing. With special guest Christopher Luscombe, who will discuss Coward's plays in performance and will look at some scenes from Star Quality in action. Christopher Luscombe adapted Star Quality and directed Penelope Keith in the London production.
Nov. 9: The Noël Coward Comedy Lecture & Coward's Comedy in Music A special talk to celebrate the genius of Coward's comic writing with guest speaker John Lahr. Lahr is one of the most respected writers on theatre today. He is a regular columnist for The New Yorker and wrote the indispensable "Noël Coward The Plays" (Methuen). Followed by special guest Sir John Mills who will share some of his memories of meeting and working with Sir Noël. Sir John famously made one of his earliest stage appearances as a song and dance man in Coward's revue, Words and Music. This will be followed by an audio/visual presentation on the musical comedy of Noël Coward by writer and musical historian, Rex Bunnett.
Nov. 16 and 18: Noël Coward and...Others A pocket revue written and compiled by Dick Vosburgh. The premiere of a new musical entertainment highlighting the many facets of Sir Noël's extraordinary life and career. For instance: Coward and Cochran, Coward and Kern, Coward and the Sitwells, Coward and the Censor, Coward and Jamaica. With songs, poetry and prose, including two songs, only recently discovered written by Coward with Jerome Kern. Dick Vosburgh is a lyricist, performer, comedy writer and broadcaster. He wrote lyrics for musicals such as A Day in Hollywood, A Night in the Ukraine; Windy City; and A Saint She Ain't. He also co wrote (with Robin Ray) the book for Noel and Cole, Let's Do It, which began at the Chichester Festival Theatre. As a performer, he worked on The Last of the 1948 Show and Monty Python's Flying Circus. As a writer, he has contributed to many BBC comedy shows such as "The Two Ronnies" and "Kenny Everett" as well as providing material for comics from Bob Hope to Tommy Cooper and Rory Bremner.
