The Noel Coward Collection

Six phenomenally sophisticated Nol Coward comedies: Fallen Angels: Julia and Fred and Willy and Jane are happily married and the best of friends, until a postcard arrives with news of the imminent arrival of a certain handsome Frenchman.Gay, debonair, and utterly sophisticated. Performed by: Annette Bening, Harriet Harris, Judith Ivey, Joe Mantegna, John Rubinstein and Kristoffer Tabori. Hay Fever: A country house weekend goes haywire when the guests and their hosts play a game of romantic musical chairs. This witty masterpiece is filled with Cowards biting commentary on his own profession. Performed by: Tate Donovan, Arabella Field, Joy Gregory, Jeffrey Jones, Lynne Marta, Serena Scott Thomas, Carolyn Seymour, Eric Stoltz and Simon Templeman. Private Lives: On the French Rivera, the lights of a yacht are reflected in the water and in the eyes of four hilariously mismatched lovers. Perhaps Cowards greatest comedy, Private Lives shimmers with romance, desire and bittersweet truth. Performed by: Rosalind Ayres, Marnie Mosiman, Ian Ogilvy, Begonya Piazza and Kristoffer Tabori. Design For Living: Three terminally stylish friends attempt to uncoil their twisted love triangle in this sexy and scandalous gem. Written in 1932, the play was deemed extremely daring, and is controversial even by todays standards. Performed by: Michelle Arthur, Claire Forlani, Thomas Hildreth, Tim Morrison, Sarah Rafferty, Douglas Weston and Hamish Linklater. Present Laughter: Stage star Garry Essendine struggles to plan his trip to Africa while his flat is invaded by a love struck ingnue, an adulterous producer, a married seductress, Garrys estranged wife Liz and an aspiring playwright who is quite, quite mad. Performed by: Gregory Cooke, Arthur Hanket, Jon Matthews, Ian Oglivy, Siri ONeal, Christina Pickles, Carolyn Seymour and Yeardley Smith. Blithe Spirit: A convivial evening party among friends is transformed when a sance conjures the ghost of Elvira, the hosts first wife, who delights in wreaking havoc among the living. An absolutely enchanting Coward comedy. Performed by: Rosalind Ayres, Alexandra Boyd, Judy Geeson, Shirley Knight, Lynne Marta, Christopher Neame and Ian Ogilvy. Exclusive bonus material: Two rarely-performed shorts by Nol Coward, Design for Rehearsing (performed by Michael Gladis, Matthew Wolf and Sarah Zimmerman) and Age Cannot Wither (performed by Juliet Mills, Susan Sullivan and JoBeth Williams), as well as two conversations on Coward with Barry Day (Noel Coward Foundation) and John Lahr (The New Yorker).