The Noel Coward BBC Radio Drama Collection

Seven BBC Radio Full-cast Productions

By: Noel Coward

Narrated by: Alex Jennings, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie, full cast, Harriet Walters, Helena Bonham-Carter, Judi Dench, Roger Allam

Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

Seven BBC radio full-cast productions of Noël Coward’s classic plays – plus bonus material including a profile of Coward and extracts from his diaries. 

Renowned for his wit, style and sophistication, Noël Coward was one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century. His plays, set in the glittering world of high society in which he lived, are much admired and have remained in the popular theatre repertoire to this day.

This collection brings together the very best radio adaptations of Coward’s works, encompassing sparkling comedies of manners 'Private Lives' and 'Hay Fever', farcical ghost story 'Blithe Spirit', and daring ménage à trois drama 'Design for Living'. Here, too, is his controversial first hit 'The Vortex'; the poignant 'Still Life' (the inspiration for the film Brief Encounter); and the semi-autobiographical 'Present Laughter'.

Among the star-studded cast are Helena Bonham-Carter, Bill Nighy, Judi Dench, Celia Imrie, Roger Allam, Harriet Walter, Paul Rhys, Stephanie Cole and Paul Scofield.

Also included is a BBC World Service profile of Noël Coward, comprising interviews, musical extracts and archive clips; and the BBC Radio 4 programme ‘From His Diaries’, featuring a selection of passages from Coward’s journal read by Simon Cadell.
 

Track listing:

 1-2: Private Lives
3-4: Hay Fever
5-6: Blithe Spirit
7-10: Design for Living
11-12: The Vortex
13: Still Life
14-16: Present Laughter
17: Meridian: Noël Coward profile
18-20: Noël Coward - From His Diaries
 

Private Lives
Amanda…Helena Bonham-Carter
Elyot…Bill Nighy
Sibyl…Andrea Riseborough
Victor…Paul Ritter
Louise…AnnaRose Cattanach
Directed by Sally Avens
 

Hay Fever
Judith Bliss…Judi Dench
David Bliss…Michael Williams
Richard Greatham…Geoffrey Palmer
Marya Arundel…Celia Imrie
Jackie Coryton…Patricia Brake
Sandy Tyrell…Christopher Blake
Simon Bliss…Patrick Pearson
Sorel Bliss…Alison Reid
Qara…Patricia Hayes
Directed by Leslie Lawton
 

Blithe Spirit
Charles…Roger Allam
Madame Arcati…Maggie Steed
Elvira…Zoe Waites
Ruth…Hermione Gulliford
Dr Bradman…David Killick
Mrs Bradman…Tilly Tremayne
Edith…Natalie Cassidy
Directed by Philip Franks
 

Design for Living
Gilda…Cheryl Campbell
Otto…Alex Jennings
Leo…Michael Kitchen
Ernest Friedman…James Laurenson
Mr Birbeck…Alan Barker
Henry Carver…Bradley Lavell
Miss Hodge/Helen…Joanna Myers
Grace Torrence…Linda Marlowe
Directed by Ned Chaillet
 

The Vortex
Florence Lancaster…Harriet Walter
Nicky…Paul Rhys
Helen…Frances Jeater
Pawnie…John Rye
Clara Hibbert…Jenny Funnell
Tom Veryan…Robert Portal
David Lancaster…Peter Blythe
Bunty Mainwaring…Federay Holmes
Bruce Fairlight…Keith Drinkel
Preston…Pamela Grace
Directed by John Tydeman
 

Still Life
Laura Lesson…Amanda Root
Dr Alec Harvey…John Duttine
Myrtle Bagott…Stephanie Cole
Albert Godby…Trevor Peacock
Beryl Waters/Lady on Train…Sunny Ormonde
Stanley…Brian Parr
Dolly Messiter…Josephine Tewson
Bill…Richard Curnow
Johnny/Guard…Malcolm McKee
Directed by Sue Wilson
 

Present Laughter
Gary Essendine…Paul Scofield
Liz Essendine…Joy Parker
Monica Reed…Patricia Routledge
Joanna Lyppiatt…Fenella Fielding
Henry Lyppiatt…Alan Rowe
Morris Dixon…Bernard Joyner
Daphne Stillington…Miriam Margolyes
Lady Saltburn…Betty Huntley-Wright
Fred…Timothy Bateson
Miss Erikson…Diana Olsson
Roland Maule…David Timson
Produced by Ian Cotterell  

©2018 BBC Worldwide Ltd (P)2018 BBC Worldwide Ltd

Some good plays...

Some good plays, some not. But all, performed by very fine actors. With a healthy dose of the playwright himself after you're done listening to the last play.

They know these are comedies, right?

While it is always possible the cast was being so droll that the humor escaped me, it really felt like they were treating the material with such reverence and acting so seriously that they plum forgot these were comedies.

I loved it

Cowardis a charme.The cast was wonderful.couldnt stoplistening.Many great plays and a very good biography at the end

Great plays, crappy curation by audible

Fantastic performances but the chapter listings are a mess and don’t even say where one play begins and ends, and the scenes and acts don’t correspond to the chapters either. Can someone from audible fix this?

A lot of arguing

I almost opted out after the second play. Maybe they didn’t translate well, or maybe Noel Coward’s work isn’t entirely my cup of tea. It just felt as if people were nonsensically shouting at each other and picking the most ridiculous fights over nothing. I missed any depth of plot. Not one character felt realistic or relatable (maybe because my life doesn’t consist of unreasonable arguments) But with Blithe Spirit it gripped my attention (though the grip was more like a flaccid handshake) a little more. They’re not bad plays, but I don’t think I’m the target audience for them. Nothing blew me away. I was expecting really clever stories, and I just found them a bit empty. I also missed a certain kind of wit. The dialogues were lacking and the overall plots were rather superficial. I felt that I as a reader had to give it a meaning myself.

Wonderful performances, stories, music

I have always loved Noel Coward, and this collection is such a gem. The performances are so well done, and the cast is just a delight. It’s as if, and I’m sure it’s true, that each cast member was beautifully connected with their role person. The music is a perfect accompaniment to the complex yet human scenes and experiences. I love the different productions of what became Brief Encounter, each one a step towards completion. I highly recommend this book

No chapter titles!

I have only just downloaded it and I know they're good stories but it's infuriating that all you get is a list of numbered chapters. To me it's important to know when the end of the story is coming and how far through I am. I have to stress this is massive in my story enjoyment. There is no way to tell which chapters go with which books and I have to say that for the price this is extremely poor. It will enormously detract from my enjoyment. So much for relieving Lockdown boredom, I just feel annoyed. Please Audible, sort this out as it most definitely deters me from future purchases.

Personally, I thought it was terrific

As a resource for improving and refining the language one uses on a daily basis, I thought these plays were wonderful. They won't keep you on the edge of your seat, but as far as artistic expression in the English language goes, they are delightful.

Great plays, poor technical production

I struggled to hear this because the sound level was so low.. Every time a lorry went past I had to rewind and catch up. I have never had this before and it doesn`t happen with other books etc.

Too Noisy and very silly.

I only listened to one story and then not all of it. Although I love all of the actors - and they all played their parts very well - the story was so silly and they spoke in such shrill voices that when they all spoke at once it sounded like a gaggle of geese.

Blowing hot and cold

I'm afraid out of the seven plays I only enjoyed three of them: 'Private Lives' (wonderfully performed and as pertinent today as when it was written), the other-worldly 'Blithe Spirit' and the poignant 'Still Life'. The remainder, unfortunately, have dated very badly, leaving just an irritating shrill memory in their wake.

No chapter headings

Once again the listener is left to work out where each story starts - please can we have chapter headings Audible!

Very enjoyable

Enjoyable dramas especially Blithe spirit and Vortex which I have already listened to them a few times.

Excellent plays and high quality recordings

It’s almost impossible to choose a favourite play out of this selection, they are all truly brilliant and funny. The performances are all excellent from start to finish, a slew of greater than great actors performing some superb voice acting. I enjoyed the collection so much I am sad it is over, and the insights into Noel Coward’s life at the end were so interesting, and gave great context to the man himself. Highly recommended!!

Most enjoyable

I liked listening to these wonderfully familiar plays and was both surprised and thrilled that the book included Noel Coward's diaries. It was fascinating to hear his thoughts on society during his lifetime.

Delicious writing.

Noel Coward delivers brilliant writing and delicious use of the English language. The excellent cast bring the dialogue to life in these classic plays and comedies. The profile and diaries add insights into his career, personal life, and inner thoughts. I sense he was a generous but complex man, who could be both charming and cutting at the same time. One of the greats..