Still Life (play) mood without technical creaking or over padding, deserves a better fate, and if, by careful writing, acting and producing I can do a little towards reinstating it in its rightful pride, I shall have achieved one of my more sentimental ambitions." "Still Life" was first produced in London (1936) and later presented in New York (1936–1937) and Canada (1938). It has enjoyed several major revivals and in 1945 was adapted for film under the title "Brief Encounter". Like all the other plays in the cycle, it originally starred Gertrude Lawrence and Coward himself. Six of the plays in "" were
Ways and Means (play) seventh play, "Family Album", was added on the subsequent provincial tour. "Ways and Means was added for the London run, together with "Still Life" and "Star Chamber", the last of which was performed only once. The first London performance in the cycle was on 9 January 1936 at the Phoenix Theatre, but "Ways and Means" did not premiere until 5 May 1936. Coward directed all ten pieces, and each starred Coward and Gertrude Lawrence. Coward said that he wrote them as "acting, singing, and dancing vehicles for Gertrude Lawrence and myself". The plays were performed in various combinations of three