Hugely entertaining and brilliantly written, this production of Noel Coward’s Present Laughter is a top notch show.
Playing to a packed Cambridge Arts Theatre, a truly excellent cast deliver every one liner, every speech, every nuance, every cutting remark and every raised eyebrow with style and skill, poise and panache.
Set in 1939, the first-rate Samuel West plays the part of Garry Essendine, a fading star whose complex love life, addiction to melodrama, self-absorbed tantrums and blatant narcissism provide the backdrop to the action.
Assisted by his secretary Monica - played by the marvellous Phyllis Logan – Garry is preparing for a trip to Africa as lovers come and go, friends fall in and out, and the thin, brittle world of stardom is laid bare.
With a fabulous drawing room set, the play glitters and shimmers with humour as Garry’s inability to determine where the acting stops and real life begins has farcical consequences.
The supporting cast are of superlative quality, Zoe Boyle is superb as the predatory Joanna Lyppiatt as is Rebecca Johnson as Garry’s estranged-wife-who-knows-best Liz. Sally Tatum, as the scene-stealing chain-smoking maid Miss Erikson, is a charming crowd pleaser and Patrick Walshe McBride shines as the mentally deranged Roland Maule.
As Garry’s intimates demand his attention and time, this is a play about friendships, middle age, and the illusion of fame.
But this is a comedy first and foremost and the laughs flow from start to finish.
Directed by Stephen Unwin, this is an excellent production of a brilliant play.
James Marston
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here