Present Laughter

It’s a plum role which naturally Coward wrote for himself and, since its premiere in 1942, dozens of diverse leading men have played Garry Essendine.

In Louse Fischer’s lively production, Peter Eyers conjures Coward himself, balancing perfectly Essendine’s petulance and archness as he struggles for his sincerity.

Designer Tom Bannerman has made the studio in Essendine’s London home suitably regal, distinguished with gold outlines and even a throne. The phone and front doorbell never stop ringing, as yet more visitors and cursory subplots demand his and our attention.

Liz Grindley is the wonderfully arthritic old housekeeper, Oliver Harcourt- Ham the amiable valet Fred, and Emily Weare excels as Essendine’s irrepressible long-time secretary.

Confusion begins when Daphne (Larissa Turton), a star-struck ingenue, loses her house key and has to stay the night. A more serious contender for Essendine arrives, with Lib Campbell as the vampish Joanna, who is already entangled with his Manager (Rueben Solomon) and bedding his agent (Michela Noonan).

The production sometimes sags under this competing and unclear storytelling, and with it, Coward’s famously crisp pacing. But Essendine’s former wife (Molly Haddon) sails through it all, still a valued part of this odd family of star supporters. Luke Visentin is also convincing as the fawning young playwright desperate for Essendine to read his play.

The costumes by Deborah Mulhall and Helen Kohlhagen are impressive and mostly period. Present Laughter delivers an entertaining comedy and with time should find the clarity and pace to really raise this soufflé into a winner.

Martin Portus