Noel Coward
Noel Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Cowardwas an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise"...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPlaywright
Date of Birth16 December 1899
stars knights play
Of course, the age-old tradition that a star must appear even if he or she is practically dying is an excellent one, but it can be carried too far. I one played a performance of The Knight of the Burning Pestle with a temperature of 103 and gave sixteen members of the company mumps, thereby closing the play and throwing everybody out of work. There may be a moral lurking somewhere in this, but I cannot for the life of me discover what it is.
thinking years play
It's no use to go and take courses in playwriting any more than it's much use taking courses in acting. Better play to a bad matinee in Hull - it will teach you much more than a year of careful instruction. Come to think of it, I never did play to a good matinee in Hull . . .
believe play laughing
In the first act, you get the audience's attention - once you have it, they will repay you in the second. Play through the laughs if you have to. It will only make the audience believe there are so many of them that they missed a few.
known
I've over-educated myself in all the things I shouldn't have known at all
pleasure rather sand
There's sand in the porridge and sand in the bed, / And if this is pleasure we'd rather be dead.
audience love mind somebody work
Put somebody you love in the audience in your mind and work for them,
appearing convinced looking television time
Time has convinced me of one thing: Television is for appearing on - not for looking at
began believe life since talent
I believe that since my life began / The most I've had is just / A talent to amuse.
bump learn lines
Learn the lines and don't bump into the furniture.
issue personal
We're Regency Rakes / And each of us makes / A personal issue / Of adipose tissue.
dance leave tomorrow
Dance, dance, dance little lady, / Leave tomorrow behind.
cafe society
It was not Cafe Society, it was Nescafe Society.
careful grill mixed
Sunburn is very becoming, but only when it is even - one must be careful not to look like a mixed grill
bad bristol clear crystal democracy despair forward save
There are bad times just around the corner,/ We can all look forward to despair, / It's as clear as crystal / From Bridlington to Bristol / That we can't save democracy / And we don't much care.