Whose plays included 'Design for Living' and 'Present Laughter'?
Present Laughter to be based partly on the actress herself, who was a member of Coward's inner circle. Present Laughter Present Laughter is a comic play written by Noël Coward. The play's title comes from a song in Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night", which urges "carpe diem" ("present mirth hath present laughter"), and so the word "present" in the title should be pronounced as the adjective , not the verb . The plot follows a few days in the life of the successful and self-obsessed light comedy actor Garry Essendine as he prepares to travel for a touring commitment in Africa. Amid a series
Present Laughter sometimes been changed to refer to his recent "fiftieth" birthday. In September 1956, a radio production was broadcast by the BBC with John Gielgud as Garry, Nora Swinburne as Liz and Mary Wimbush as Joanna. As part of Play of the Week in August 1964 four Coward plays directed and produced by Joan Kemp-Welch were transmitted on ITV, including "Present Laughter", with Peter Wyngarde as Garry Essendine, Ursula Howells as Liz Essendine, Barbara Murray as Joanna Lyppiatt and James Bolam as Roland Maule. In 1974, Paul Scofield broadcast the lead role for the BBC, with Fenella Fielding as Joanna, Patricia