In 1932 Printemps's marriage to Guitry broke up. Guitry soon remarried; Printemps never did so, but became the personal and professional partner of the actor Pierre Fresnay. In February 1934 she had a personal success in London in Noël Coward's "Conversation Piece". Coward wrote the role of Melanie with Printemps in mind, and as she spoke practically no English, she learned the part phonetically. Her singing of the big romantic number, "I'll follow my secret heart", was the highlight of the show. "The Times" said of her performance: