Delights of Noel

Golden Globe winner Amanda Donohoe stars as theatrical grand dame Lorraine Barrie as

Coward takes us behind the scenes of a new West End production, offering a satire of the backstage world of talent and treachery with a gallery of unforgettable characters.

From tentative first rehearsal to triumphant opening night, both leading lady and director are determined to get their own way…

Playing the director is Daniel.

“It was written in the 60s and never produced but has been adapted by the actor and director Christopher Luscombe. He did it originally in 2001 with Penelope Keith. He was looking for something to adapt and is a huge fan of Coward. He was in the agents’ office and saw Coward’s manuscript - and asked if he could do it.

“It’s lovely both from an actor’s point of view and a theatrical point of view because you get a real insight into Coward’s ideas and thoughts on the theatre. And he does it very even-handedly. He was a writer and a director and a performer and he understands all of them and is very even-handed about them in this piece. I think he recognises the failings and the qualities of each of them.

“It’s a play about putting on a play and the conflicts within that process. Each person has his own agenda. For the writer, taste is sacrosanct; for the director, his vision is the thing that he is passionate about.

“And you have got the star at the centre. It was a very interesting time in the theatre in 1951. We have got the old guard still performing, but the new work is just coming through. It’s a fulcrum moment. The star has got a decision to make. She wants to carry on and enjoy longevity, but it is a difficult process.”

Tickets on 01483 440000 or www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk.