PRESENT LAUGHTER

Written by Noël Coward

Directed by Karen Vickery

ACT Hub Theatre, Kingston to 14 June

 

Reviewed by Len Power 5 June 2025

 

‘Present Laughter’ by Noël Coward was first staged in 1942 in England. The title comes from a line – ‘present mirth hath present laughter’ - in a song from Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’. The line is a warning and applies perfectly to the chaotic self-absorbed people and their interactions in Coward’s play.

Matinee idol of the theatre, Garry Essendine, is preparing for a touring commitment in Australia. Used to cleverly balancing numerous affairs and infatuations, he suddenly finds himself in mid-life crisis in a whirlpool of broken promises, demands and unrealistic expectations. Coward has acknowledged that his central character of Essendine is a self-caricature.

Karen Vickery’s production, on Michael Sparks’ nicely designed art deco setting, keeps the characters nicely in period, ensuring they display the colourfully English eccentricities, manners and morals of the time. She allows the play time to build steadily towards the frenetic climax and she has achieved finely detailed performances from her entire cast of ten.

Jarrad West (Garry Essendine)

As Garry Essendine, Jarrad West achieves a highly mannered portrait of an egocentric actor of the period. He’s selfish, paranoid and expects adulation from everybody as his divine right. West’s energetic, high-speed performance succeeds on all levels, giving us a memorable character to love and loathe at the same time.

His long-suffering staff are well-played by Jenna Roberts as the Scandinavian housekeeper, Miss Erikson, Tracy Noble as Monica, his secretary, and Leonidis Katsanis as Fred, his valet.

Essendine’s wife is skilfully played by Crystal Mahon as a highly capable woman who can manage his tantrums and there are fine and very funny characterisations of his manager, played by Joe Dinn and his producer, Henrietta, by Amy Kowalczuk.

Amy Kowalczuk (Henrietta) and Michael Cooper (Roland Maule)

Michael Cooper is impressive as the obsessive, manic author, Roland Maule, and Karina Hudson deftly plays the scheming, seductive actress, Joanna.

 

Karina Hudson (Joanna)

Callum Doherty is very funny and nicely rather sad as David, a bright young thing pathetically obsessed with Essendine.

Changes have been made, making Essendine clearly bisexual and a couple of the other characters fitting in with that change. These changes all follow through logically and successfully, giving this production an extra dimension that works very well.

This is an opportunity to see one of Coward’s plays performed with style and assurance. It’s a long play but you certainly get your money’s worth!

 

Photos by Jane Duong

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs and published in his blog 'Just Power Writing' at https://justpowerwriting.blogspot.com/.