"Design For Living" by Noel Coward
Nottingham Lace Market Theatre

From 1930s bohemian Paris to the dizzying heights of Manhattan society, a tempestuous love triangle unravels between interior designer, Gilda, playwright Leo and artist Otto - three people unashamedly and passionately in love with each other. They are trapped in what Coward called 'a three-sided erotic hodge podge.'

With Coward's trademark piquant style, this lively, funny but also atypical play looks at dazzling, egotistical creatures and their self-destructive dependence on each other. Exploring themes of bisexuality, celebrity, success and self-obsession, Design for Living is a stylish and scandalous comedy which was initially banned in the UK. A play of it's time.

Kathryn Edwards (Gilda), brings out the independence and confidence in our protagonist, as well as great style in everything that Gilda does and wears. She also shows Gilda's underlying unhappiness at not being seen as an equal in the male dominated business and romance world of the period.

Matthew Finkel (Ernest) provides a lot of the comedy with his facial expressions and some very cutting and acidic lines, with just a touch of the Alan Carr about the character. Ernest's final tirade and flounce from the stage deserves a round of applause on it's own.

Paul Spruce (Otto) had just the right amount of camp for the character, and I really enjoyed the subtle hints of the relationship between Otto and Leo which we discover pre dates Otto and Gilda.Lovely and carefree performance.

John Halstead (Leo) comes across as a slightly spoilt and sulky teenager in this menage a trois, but also shows an excitability in the character, which is typical of Coward's characters.

Órla Godfrey-Carter (Miss Hodge) is also typical of Coward's characters. A lovely comic role, a seemingly over-worked house maid who doesn't seem to do a lot and complains bitterly about the jobs she is given. The role is lower class, working for the upper class which will always have that comedy element and well executed by Órla.

James Whitby (Henry Carver), Emma Bradley (Helen Carver) and Charlotte Thomas (Grace Torrence) are Gilda's guests in Manhattan.

James Hastings (Matthew), Gilda's man servant, who, although only had a small part, really made an impression with his smiley, leering and lustful attention aimed at both Leo and Otto. Coward writes camp so well and James brings this character to life.

Directed by Dan Maddison, I loved the monochrome set and costumes for the characters which really brought the feel of an old black and white movie feel of the early 1930's to life on stage. I also loved the flow of this play because there were swathes of script balanced with small gaps which gave you time to catch your breath.

The set, designed by Max Bromley oozed style and the Paris, London, Manhattan sets were simply done by change of furniture and landmarks depicted on the back wall.

Lighting Design by David Billen and Sound Design by Gareth Morris, who was busy stage managing the play, so the sound was operated by Sophie Owen.

The play oozes class and sophistication and that is reflected in the fashion of the day and these costumes were gorgeous, as was the make up and hair.

Coward's wit is as sharp and sparkling as ever in this play. A play that is very rarely seen performed, and a play of such liberalism and female empowerment, which was way ahead of it's time. All the subtle naughtiness of Coward's writing is at the fore, as is the wonderful campness.

As I previously touched on, the script is very wordy but all of the main characters delivered these swathes with great elan, never stumbling and with a completely natural delivery. It goes to show what hard work this cast and crew have put in to this piece of theatre, and the rewards were richly reaped on opening night.

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A ménage ă-trois of two men and a woman - Design for Living at the Lace Market Theatre

When it premiered male homosexual activity was a criminal offence

It’s small wonder that Noël Coward’s Design for Living didn’t enjoy all that much exposure after it premiered in 1933. At a time when male homosexual activity was still a criminal offence, the play featured an on-off ménage ă-trois of two men and a woman.

In London, it didn’t attract an actual ban, but it wasn’t produced there till 1939. Nowadays its content doesn’t shock but, given the right director (here it’s Dan Madison) and actors, it can certainly entertain.

Kathryn Edwards turns in a stand-out performance as Gilda, a beautiful, young interior designer, who happens to be in love with two men separately: Otto, an artist (an excellent Paul Spruce) and Leo, a playwright (John Halstead, again excellent). Each of these men, besides loving each other, also loves Gilda.

The smaller parts: some American friends, the servants, and so on, are all well played. There are no weaknesses.

Over three acts, set in flats in Paris, London and New York, Gilda also re-entangles herself with a friend, Ernest (Matthew Finkel, in another fine performance), who’s also well acquainted with the others, but as a romantic rival.

It’s a static, very wordy play. But since it’s so well crafted, and the dialogue so often witty, acerbic and full of sharp observation, it never drags. In short, it’s all unmistakably Noël Coward. There are even the trademark meta-theatrical touches, where Coward reminds audience and characters alike that this isn’t real-life; it’s a play.

Max Bromley’s set is a simple black and white delight, as are the matching black and white costumes, especially Gilda’s, which, besides looking great, successfully evoke the twenties and early thirties. The telephone doesn’t – it’s one of those heavy-looking fifties jobs, but no matter.

It would be entirely unsurprising if this one generates a hefty week’s box office.

Read the original article here.