Present Laughter

Present Laughter

By Noel Coward

Directed by Roxana Graves

An amateur production by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd

Everyone loves suave, sophisticated and debonair matinee idol Garry Essendine. Some people love him a little too much, but no one could ever love Garry as much as he loves himself. Monika his secretary, who has the impossible task of organising his entire life, and other members of the household, including Fred the valet and Miss Erikson, the slightly eccentric Swedish housekeeper, do their best to shield Garry from the consequences of his actions. But as he enters middle age and also about to embark on a tour of Africa, Monika and Liz, his ex-wife, (to whom he is actually still married and who is still very much part of the family) think it is no longer dignified to continue with his serial philandering ways.

The drama, and indeed the acting follows Garry from the stage to his London studio as he hilariously tries to wriggle out of appointments and responsibilities. Having been alerted by Liz to a potential threat to his close knit circle of long-term friends and business associates, he attempts to step in to avert disaster, but ultimately all hell breaks loose when it becomes apparent he cannot resist temptation no matter how close it is to home…

Cast