Noel Coward described his play 'Present Laughter' as "...not so much a play as a series of semi-autobiographical pyrotechnics..." and the Studio Theatre Club's current production certainly takes us on a fast-paced and often hilarious journey through the trials and tribulations of the famous, wealthy, yet world-weary actor Garry Essendine.
Stephen Briggs hits just the right note of self-pitying selfishness as Garry, while still managing to endear himself to the audience and showing us just why his long-suffering wife Liz, played with a lovely sense of style and poise by Kath Leighton, still puts up with him (albeit at a distance!).
Garry's devoted entourage of staff are led by Sarah Hickingbotttom as secretary Monica, who calms and placates her capricious employer, while still having enough confidence in their long friendship to be able to admonish him for his excesses. The audience get the sense that between her and Liz, Garry is in safe hands.
Sarah Hyland, as crazy Swedish housekeeper Miss Erikson, provides some of the biggest laughs even with relatively few lines as she shuffles dreamily about the stage, while valet Fred, played by Anthony Walker provides a lower-class mirror to Garry's louche lifestyle.
Into Garry's protected environment comes Roland Maule, a young playwright played to good effect by Jon Viner, who manages to convey the character's enthusiasm for more 'worthy' work than Garry's star vehicles but also his slightly darker, obsession-bordering-on-stalker side. Also disturbing the comforting pattern of his life is young ingenue Daphne Stillington, played with a nice light touch by Briony Tatem, whose besotted pursuit of Garry turns into a steely determination to follow him even to Africa. Her aunt, Lady Saltburn is played with zeal and a twinkle in the eye by Lorna Stephenson.
A different form of pursuit comes in the character of Joanna Lyppiatt (Gill Mauger), seductress wife of Garry's producer Henry (Andy Tatem). Having already seduced Garry's agent Morris (Matthew Kirk), she moves in for the kill and gets what she wants - although the tables are turned by the end of the play.
Nigel Tait has done a good job on working with his cast to get the pace and fluency of repartee and action that the play demands, The set is effective, with some impressive pieces such as the piano, although I'm sure the hatstand will be given a ceremonial burning at the end of the play for all the trouble it caused. The music gives a nice sense of period and the costumes are generally excellent and really helped to ground the play in the era in which it was set.
Stephen Briggs hits just the right note of self-pitying selfishness as Garry, while still managing to endear himself to the audience and showing us just why his long-suffering wife Liz, played with a lovely sense of style and poise by Kath Leighton, still puts up with him (albeit at a distance!).
Garry's devoted entourage of staff are led by Sarah Hickingbotttom as secretary Monica, who calms and placates her capricious employer, while still having enough confidence in their long friendship to be able to admonish him for his excesses. The audience get the sense that between her and Liz, Garry is in safe hands.
Sarah Hyland, as crazy Swedish housekeeper Miss Erikson, provides some of the biggest laughs even with relatively few lines as she shuffles dreamily about the stage, while valet Fred, played by Anthony Walker provides a lower-class mirror to Garry's louche lifestyle.
Into Garry's protected environment comes Roland Maule, a young playwright played to good effect by Jon Viner, who manages to convey the character's enthusiasm for more 'worthy' work than Garry's star vehicles but also his slightly darker, obsession-bordering-on-stalker side. Also disturbing the comforting pattern of his life is young ingenue Daphne Stillington, played with a nice light touch by Briony Tatem, whose besotted pursuit of Garry turns into a steely determination to follow him even to Africa. Her aunt, Lady Saltburn is played with zeal and a twinkle in the eye by Lorna Stephenson.
A different form of pursuit comes in the character of Joanna Lyppiatt (Gill Mauger), seductress wife of Garry's producer Henry (Andy Tatem). Having already seduced Garry's agent Morris (Matthew Kirk), she moves in for the kill and gets what she wants - although the tables are turned by the end of the play.
Nigel Tait has done a good job on working with his cast to get the pace and fluency of repartee and action that the play demands, The set is effective, with some impressive pieces such as the piano, although I'm sure the hatstand will be given a ceremonial burning at the end of the play for all the trouble it caused. The music gives a nice sense of period and the costumes are generally excellent and really helped to ground the play in the era in which it was set.