Noël Coward on stage and screen

This is a list of works and appearances by the English playwright, actor, singer and songwriter Noël Coward.

Stage works

TitleDescriptionWrittenPremiere The Last Chapter One-act comedy 1917 1917Mander and Mitchenson, p. 25 Woman and Whisky One-act play 1918 1918Mander and Mitchenson, p. 26 The Rat Trap Play in four acts 1918 1926Mander and Mitchenson, p. 28 I'll Leave It to You Light comedy in three acts 1919 1920"I'll Leave It to You", The Times, 22 July 1920, p. 10; and Mander and Mitchenson, p. 36 The Young Idea Comedy of youth in three acts 1921 1922Mander and Mitchenson, p. 43 Sirocco Play in three acts 1921 1927"Daly's Theatre", The Times, 25 November 1927, p. 14Mander and Mitchenson, p. 52 The Better Half Comedy in one act 1921 1922Mander and Mitchenson, p. 62 The Queen Was in the Parlour Play in three acts 1922 1926Ervine, St John. "At the Play", The Observer, 29 August 1926, p. 9; and Mander and Mitchenson, p. 65 Mild Oats Play in one act 1922 Unknown London Calling! Revue 1922–23 1923 Weatherwise Comedy in two scenes 1923 1932Mander and Mitchenson, p. 81 Fallen Angels Comedy in three acts 1923 1925"Globe Theatre", The Times, 22 April 1925, p. 12; and Mander and Mitchenson, p. 83 The Vortex Play in three acts 1923 1924Mander and Mitchenson, p. 92 Hay Fever Comedy in three acts 1924 1925Mander and Mitchenson, p. 103 Easy Virtue Play in three acts 19241925"Duke of York's Theatre", The Times, 10 June 1926, p. 14; and Mander and Mitchenson, p. 114 On with the Dance Revue 1924–25 1925"On with the Dance", The Times, 1 May 1925, p. 12 Semi-Monde Play in three acts 1926 1977Mander and Mitchenson, p. 140 This Was a Man Comedy in three acts 1926 1926Mander and Mitchenson, p. 144 The Marquise Comedy in three acts 1926 1927"Criterion Theatre", The Times, 17 February 1927, p. 12; and Mander and Mitchenson, p. 156 Home Chat Play in three acts 1927 1927"Duke of York's Theatre", The Times, 26 October 1927, p. 12; and Mander and Mitchenson, p. 166 This Year of Grace Revue 1927–28 1928 Bitter Sweet Operetta 1928–29 1929"Bitter Sweet", The Times, 19 July 1929, p. 12 Private Lives Intimate comedy in three acts 1929 1930Mander and Mitchenson, p. 208 Post-Mortem Play in eight scenes 1930 1992 Cavalcade Play in three parts 1930–31 1931Mander and Mitchenson, p. 228 Words and Music Revue 1932 1932"Mr Coward's Revue", The Times, 17 September 1932, p. 8; and Mander and Mitchenson, p. 240 Design For Living Comedy in three acts 1932 1933Mander and Mitchenson, p. 249 Conversation Piece Romantic comedy with music 1933 1934Mander and Mitchenson, p. 260 Point Valaine Play in three acts 1934 1934Mander and Mitchenson, p. 271 Tonight at 8.30Cycle of ten short plays, presented in groups of three: We Were Dancing Comedy in two scenes1935 1935"Theatres", The Manchester Guardian, 16 October 1935, p. 11; and "To-night at 8.30", The Times, 20 August 1935, p. 10 The Astonished Heart Play in six scenes1935 1935 Red Peppers Interlude with music1935 1935 Hands Across the Sea Light comedy in one scene1935 1935"Theatres", The Manchester Guardian, 19 October 1935, p. 15; and Mander and Mitchenson, p. 297 Fumed Oak Unpleasant comedy in two scenes1935 1935"Theatres", The Manchester Guardian, 19 October 1935, p. 15; and Mander and Mitchenson, p. 300 Shadow Play Play with music1935 1935"Theatres", The Manchester Guardian, 19 October 1935, p. 15; and Mander and Mitchenson, p. 303 Family Album Victorian comedy with music1935 1935Mander and Mitchenson, p. 306 Star Chamber Light comedy in one act1936 1936Mander and Mitchenson, p. 308 Ways and Means Comedy in three scenes1936 1936Mander and Mitchenson, p. 311 Still Life Play in five scenes1936 1936Mander and Mitchenson, p. 313 Operette Musical play 1937 1938Mander and Mitchenson, p. 326 Set to Music Revue 1938 1939Mander and Mitchenson, p. 339 Present Laughter Play in three acts 1939 1942 This Happy Breed Play in three acts 1939 1942Mander and Mitchenson, p. 357 Blithe Spirit Play in three acts 1941 1941Mander and Mitchenson, p. 366 Sigh No More Revue 1945 1945Mander and Mitchenson, p. 378 Pacific 1860 Musical romance 1946 1946Mander and Mitchenson, p. 384 Peace In Our Time Play in two acts 1946 1947Mander and Mitchenson, p. 395 Long Island Sound Comedy of manners in two acts 1947 1989"Plays", Noël Coward Archive Trust. Retrieved 20 March 2020 Ace of Clubs Musical play 1949 1950Mander and Mitchenson, p. 419 South Sea Bubble Comedy in three acts 1949 1951 Relative Values Light comedy in three acts 1951 1951 Quadrille Romantic comedy in three acts 1951–52 1952Mander and Mitchenson, p. 440 After the Ball Musical play 1953 1954 Nude with Violin Comedy in three acts 1954 1956Mander and Mitchenson, p. 460 Volcano Play in two acts 1957 2002 Look After Lulu! Three-act farce adapted from Georges Feydeau 1958 1959Mander and Mitchenson, p. 469 Waiting in the Wings Play in three acts 1959–60 1960Mander and Mitchenson, p. 481 Sail Away Musical comedy 1959–60 1961Mander and Mitchenson, p. 489 The Girl Who Came to Supper Musical comedy 1963 1963 Suite in Three KeysTrilogy comprising: A Song at TwilightPlay in two scenes 1965 1966Mander and Mitchenson, p. 513 Shadows of the EveningPlay in two scenes 1965 1966 Come Into the Garden, MaudPlay in two scenes 1965 1966 Star Quality Comedy in three acts 1967 1985 Cowardy Custard Revue Various 1972 Oh, Coward! Revue Various 1972

Stage appearances London, except where stated otherwise YearRoleVenue 1911 Prince Mussel in The Goldfish by Lila Field Little, Royal Court Theatre, Crystal Palace Cannard in The Great Name by Charles Hawtrey Prince of Wales William in Where the Rainbow Ends by Clifford Mills and John Ramsey Savoy 1912 Mushroom in An Autumn Idyll by Ruby Ginner Savoy The Boy in A Little Fowl Play, by Harold Owen London Coliseum William in Where the Rainbow Ends Garrick 1913 An Angel in Hannele by Gerhart Hauptmann Liverpool Playhouse and Gaiety, Manchester Tommy in War in the Air by Frank Dupree London Palladium Understudy for Reginald Sheffield as Buster in Never Say Die by W. H. Post Apollo Charity matinee of A Little Fowl Play London Opera House Slightly in Peter Pan, by J. M. Barrie Duke of York's 1914 Toured as Slightly in Peter Pan 1915 Slightly in Peter Pan Duke of York's The Slacker in Where the Rainbow Ends Garrick 1916 Charles Wykeham in Charley's Aunt by Brandon Thomas tour Basil Pyecroft in The Light Blues, by Mark Ambient and Jack Hulbert (and understudy to Hulbert) Shaftesbury Professional dancer with Eileen Denis at the Elysée restaurant Jack Morrison in The Happy Family, by Cecil Aldin and Adrian Ross Prince of Wales 1917 Leicester Boyd in Wild Heather, by Dorothy Brandon Gaiety, Manchester Ripley Guildford in The Saving Grace, by Haddon Chambers Garrick 1918 Courtney Bourner in Scandal by Cosmond Harrison Strand 1919 Ralph in The Knight of the Burning Pestle, by Francis Beaumont Birmingham Repertory 1920 Bobbie Dermott in his own play, I'll Leave It to You Gaiety, Manchester and New Ralph in The Knight of the Burning Pestle Kingsway 1921 Clay Collins in Polly with a Past, by George Middleton and Guy Bolton St James's 1922 Sholto Brent in his own play, The Young Idea Prince's Theatre, Bristol, and tour 1923 Sholto Brent Savoy Appeared in London Calling! (of which he was co-author) Duke of York's 1924 Nicky Lancaster in his own play, The Vortex Everyman Hampstead and Royalty 1925 Nicky Lancaster Comedy, Little, Henry Miller's, New York 1926 Lewis Dodd in The Constant Nymph, by Margaret Kennedy and Basil Dean New 1928 Clark Storey in The Second Man, by S. N. Behrman Playhouse Theatre Appeared in his own revue, This Year of Grace Baltimore, and Selwyn Theatre, New York 1930 Captain Stanhope in Journey's End, by R. C. Sherriff Victoria. Singapore Elyot Chase in his own play Private Lives Tour and Phoenix. Fred in his own sketch Some Other Private Lives (charity matinee) Hippodrome 1931 Elyot Chase in Private Lives Times Square, New York 1933 Leo in his own play, Design for Living Hanna Cleveland and Ethel Barrymore, New York 1934 Paul, Duc de Chaucigny-Varennes, in his own operetta, Conversation Piece His Majesty's 1935 Pre-London tour in his own one-act plays, Tonight at 8.30 1936 Appeared in the ten plays of Tonight at 8.30 Phoenix Appeared in the same plays (with the exception of Star Chamber) National, New York 1942 Charles Condomine in his own play, Blithe Spirit. St James's Toured in "Noël Coward's Play Parade" as Charles Condomine and as Garry Essendine and Frank Gibbons in his own plays, Present Laughter and This Happy Breed 1943 Garry Essendine in Present Laughter and Frank Gibbons in This Happy Breed Haymarket 1945 Two performances in his own revue, Sigh No More. Piccadilly 1947 Garry Essendine in revival of Present Laughter Haymarket 1948 Three performances in Tonight at 8.30 (Hands Across the Sea, Shadow Play and Fumed Oak) during US tour. Appeared as Max Aramont in Joyeux Chagrins, the French translation of his Present Laughter Théâtre Édouard VII, Paris 1951 Concert, performing his own songs as try-out for London season (below) Theatre Royal, Brighton Solo cabaret season (October) Café de Paris 1952 Two cabaret performances with Mary Martin in aid of the Actors' Orphanage (January and November) Café de Paris Second solo cabaret season (June) Café de Paris 1953 King Magnus in The Apple Cart, by Bernard Shaw Haymarket Third London solo cabaret season Café de Paris Appeared in Stars at Midnight, one-off performance in aid of the Actors' Orphanage Palladium 1954 Introduced Marlene Dietrich's cabaret act Café de Paris Appeared in Night of 100 Stars, in aid of the Actors' Orphanage Palladium Fourth and final London solo cabaret season Café de Paris Appeared at the Royal Variety Performance Palladium 1955 Solo cabaret season at the Desert Inn, Las Vegas 1956 Narrated Ogden Nash's verses for Carnival of the Animals Carnegie Hall, New York 1957 Sebastien in his own Nude with Violin Tour and Belasco Theatre New York and second tour 1958 Garry Essendine in Present Laughter Belasco Theatre and tour Appeared in Night of 100 Stars, in aid of the Actors' Orphanage Palladium Appeared in gala cabaret in Nice 1966 Appeared in his own Suite in Three Keys as Sir Hugo Latymer (A Song at Twilight), George Hilgay (Shadows of the Evening) and Verner Conklin (Come Into the Garden, Maud) Queen's Source: Mander and Mitchenson.Mander and Mitchenson, Appendix 4, pp. 590–593

Songs

Coward wrote more than three hundred songs.Coward, pp. 415–418 The Noël Coward Society's website, drawing on performing statistics from the publishers and the Performing Rights Society, names "Mad About The Boy" (from Words and Music) as Coward's most popular song, followed, in order, by:

"I'll See You Again" (Bitter Sweet) "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" (Words and Music) "If Love Were All" (Bitter Sweet) "Someday I'll Find You" (Private Lives) "I'll Follow My Secret Heart" (Conversation Piece) "London Pride" (1941) "A Room With a View" (This Year of Grace) "Mrs Worthington" (1934) "Poor Little Rich Girl" (On with the Dance) "The Stately Homes of England" (Operette)

In the society's second tier of favourites are:

"The Party's Over Now" (Words and Music) "Dearest Love" (Operette) "Dear Little Café" (Bitter Sweet) "Parisian Pierrot" (London Calling!) "Men About Town" (Tonight at 8.30) "Twentieth Century Blues" (Cavalcade) "Uncle Harry" (Pacific 1860) "Don't Let's Be Beastly to the Germans" (1943) "There Are Bad Times Just Around the Corner" (Globe Review) "Dance, Little Lady" (This Year of Grace) "Has Anybody Seen Our Ship?" (Tonight at 8.30) "I Went to a Marvellous Party" (Set to Music) "Nina" (Sigh No More) "A Bar on the Piccola Marina" (1954) "Why Must the Show Go On?" (Together With Music) "Sail Away" (Ace of Clubs and Sail Away) "Zigeuner" (Bitter Sweet)