Present Laughter - Tickets

Present Laughter has a rich history of featuring some of the most reputed and famous actors over the decades. The protagonist Garry Essendine has been played by the likes of performers such as Sir Ian McKellen from the X-Men and The Lord of the Rings series, Peter O’Toole from Lawrence of Arabia, Simon Callow, Albert Finney, and Nigel Patrick amongst many others. In some sense, the story is a reflection of the author’s struggles and prejudices. The word ‘Present’ in the title is an adjective and not a verb, and is inspired by a song in Shakespeare’s famous play Twelfth Night. Noel Coward himself starred as the protagonist when the play was first released. While Present Laughter is, for the most part, a lighthearted comedy, it carries deep and contemplative undertones that are expertly hidden from plain sight by the story and its characters. The 1942 release of the play was welcomed with rave reviews from The Observer and The Manchester Guardian, and this version of the play is sure to pack the same punch with its lineup of seasoned artists.

The Story

Garry Essendine is a highly successful and sought-after actor who finds himself trapped in a serious mid-life crisis. The narcissistic light comedy actor must travel to Africa as his production intends to send him on a tour through the continent. Gary, however, is faced with an array of issues back home. He must resist the romantic advances of various seductive women, placate both his depressed secretary and estranged wife, and deal with an overly-demanding playwright who is bordering on insanity. A story that is semi-autobiographical in nature, Present Laughter is a refreshing and mildly hilarious journey into the life and times of Noel Coward.

Good for

Fans of Comedy | Fans of Noel Coward

Critics Reviews

Present Laughter is a laugh-out-loud sex comedy with, I think, surprising depths.
– Evening Standard