Welcome to our website – soon to offer online membership. For the present members do not need to Login to access the site. However . . . For your first visit to the Members or the Gallery pages – when asked – members will need to enter the existing password – after that the password will be remembered. Please bear with us during these developments…

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View our latest Mail Chimp email Newsletter here…

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Amateur Dramatic Companies

Please note that we now link with amdram.net to show forthcoming amateur productions. Please follow the instructions on amdram.net to feature your forthcoming productions, auditions and any other information on your amdram company.

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Kneehigh Theatre’s

Brief Encounter goes to Australia

10 September to 8 December

May Edition of Home Chat

The editor of our house magazine has been in Australia and New Zealand during April so this month’s edition will not be available until the beginning of June 2013. Following that we will be back on track to our usual publishing cycle with the next edition due out in August 2013.

In the meantime treat yourself to an evening with Ivor Novello…

Russell Grant and Musical Director and former member of Only Men Aloud, Ross Leadbeater invite you to a ‘Glamorous Night’ in celebration of Ivor Novello – the most successful British musical theatre composer of the first half of the 20th century.

Ivor Novello and the Great British Musical plays at St James Studio – London’s newest and hottest theatre venue – for one night only on Sunday 23rd June at 7:30pm.

2013 marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of the Welsh-born composer, who gives his name to both a West End theatre and the internationally respected Ivor Novello Awards.

Inspired by his legacy, this is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to enjoy an intimate evening in the company of Russell, Ross and a host of leading singers from the West End and the world of opera.

The evening also features other British theatre composers such as Noël Coward, Lionel Bart and Andrew Lloyd Webber. With Musical Direction by Ross Leadbeater.

The evening is hosted by Russell Grant, whose love of Novello began when he toured in the last major production of Novello’s King’s Rhapsody. Russell’s dream came true when given the chance to dance on BBC 1’s Strictly Come Dancing. Russell was invited by Andrew Lloyd Webber to star in The Wizard of Oz (Palladium): he returned to the Palladium after 34 years, the last time with Tommy Steele in Hans Andersen. West End credits: Slogger Williams in Tom Brown’s Schooldays (Cambridge), the Snake in Children of Eden (Prince of Wales) and Carlos in Midnight Tango (Phoenix Theatre).  Last year Russell won plaudits galore with his glitzy Teen Angel in the 20th Anniversary production of Grease with a unique Latin dance mega-mix choreographed by Arlene Phillips.

Ross Leadbeater has a varied career as a musical director, pianist, singer and vocal coach. He was recently Musical Supervisor for Novello’s last musical Gay’s the Word which enjoyed a sell-out run at Jermyn Street Theatre. West End credits as Musical Director: Talent 2012 (Garrick Theatre), West-End Eurovision 2012: Phantom of the Opera (Dominion Theatre) and Betwixt! (Trafalgar Studios). Ross was rehearsal pianist for South Pacific (Barbican Centre) and répétiteur for The Mikado and HMS Pinafore (Buxton Opera House). Television include: Last Choir Standing, The Classical Brit Awards, The Royal Variety Show 2008 and Proms in the Park.

Katy Treharne played Nina in the UK Premiere of Dear World and Alternate Christine in Phantom of the Opera. She toured Sweden with West End star Peter Jöback in I Love Musicals and will feature on the CD release this autumn.

Rhidian Marc can currently be seen in the cast of Les Miserables and in the film version and 25th Anniversary Concert of Les Miserables. He was born on the same street as Ivor Novello and is thrilled to be part of this tribute to him.

Annatt Bass is a mezzo soprano who has spent two years covering the role of Madam Giry in Phantom of the Opera. She could be seen on ITV’s Pop Star to Opera Star and was in the workshop performance of Love Never Dies.

Martin Milnes is currently playing Oscar in Verdi’s Ballo at The King’s Head. His one man show The Falsetto received five star reviews at the Edinburgh Festival and has been the support act for Alistair McGowan. In 2012 he directed the first professional revival of The Grand Duke.

Listings Information

(for more information, contact 07970 558 385 or rossleadbeater@aol.co.uk)

Ivor Novello and the Great British Musical

Direction and Musical Direction by Ross Leadbeater

Design by Gregor Donnelly Musical Staging by Philip Joel

St James Studio, 12 Palace Street, London SW1E 5JA (Victoria Tube Station)

Sunday 23rd June at 7:30pm

Tickets: £10.00 – £25.00 Box Office: 0844 264 2140 or boxoffice@stjamestheatre.co.uk

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 Just Some Theatre Company

Last year you were kind enough to promote an appeal that my arts organisation Just Some Theatre Company were using to raise funds to produce a radio play about the life of Noël Coward in the mid 30′s, called Coward, and written by James Martin Charlton.

We’re delighted to say that we reached our target (thanks in part to promotion on the NCS website), and have been able to professionally record the radio play, which is now in it’s final stages of editing before production for sale and broadcast in June/July. I’d be happy to send you a complimentary copy if you would like one, once the editing is complete, as a token of our thanks.

Our company has now set about planning a UK tour of the production which we will be taking to a few venues in the north of England, before a 3 week run at the White Bear Theatre in London, from mid October.

We’re now raising funds for the tour through a crowd funding appeal which can be found at http://www.sponsume.com/project/coward-uk-tour. We would be extremely grateful if you could once again share this page with the visitors to the Noël Coward Society website, and we feel that many of them will have great interest in this upcoming production.

We have a large range of Noël Coward related rewards on offer for anyone that donates, from props used in the production and Noël Coward books, to tickets to the show and filmed/audio versions of the play. And if they decide not to donate but are still interested in the play, all of the tour information is on the page and our appeal video contains some short clips of the recorded script, and even a supportive tweet to us by Stephen Fry!

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Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano

Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano are scheduled to appear at Crazy Coqs July 2-6, and hope to see lots of cowardians while they’re in town..

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RELATIVE VALUES

Wednesday 12 June – Saturday 29 June Directed by Trevor Nunn

The Theatre Royal Bath Summer Season 2013 offers a season of new in-house productions including Noel Coward’s Relative Values, directed by Trevor Nunn and starring Patricia Hodge, Caroline Quentin and Rory Bremner.

A stellar cast launches the Summer Season 2013 in one of Noel Coward’s most successful comedies, including Patricia Hodge as Felicity, Caroline Quentin as Moxie and Rory Bremner as Crestwell, the butler. Set in the early 1950’s, Relative Values is about the uproarious culture clash between the glittering world of Hollywood and the stiff upper lip of the English aristocracy.

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The Noël Coward Society AGM

At the first meeting of the NCS committee following the AGM the following officer appointments were made:

Chairman of the Organising Committee: Denys Robinson
General Secretary: John Hunter Knowles
Finance and Resources: Stephen Greenman
Membership Secretary: Stephen Duckham
Events Secretary: Geoffrey Skinner
Theatre and Media: Michael Wheatley-Ward
Committee Members: Judy Shakespear, Peter Tod, Dominic Vlasto
Associate Committee Members: Lori Winch-Johnson
Co-opted Members representing agencies: Claire Osborne (Warner Chappell), Geoffrey Skinner (Samuel French Ltd. UK)

Items that arose at the AGM were discussed as follows:

NCS Christmas Cards: The current stock of available Christmas cards will be advertised in the next Home Chat as available for purchase.

Development of a Society tie (and head scarf): It was decided to leave this matter at present and return to it should demand for them reach a level that would make the venture financially viable.

The date of the current Annual Lunch: There will be an announcement shortly on the outcome of discussions about this annual event and a new event for the Spring of 2014. Watch this space…

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Sad news of the loss of Richard Briers…

…who was our guest in the December of 2011 at the celebration of Noël Coward’s birthday.

A lovely man who graced our flower-laying event at Drury Lane despite his illness. He kept in touch afterwards. Our sympathies go to his lovely wife Ann and his daughters Lucy and Katie.

Despite his popularity he was a much underrated actor who saw better use of his talents when Kenneth Branagh sought him out for roles in his films of Shakespeare’s plays.

 

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 The Noel Coward Music Index

This world class resource now has its own domain home at www.ncmi.info

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NCS Theatre Evening at Private Lives

The Society has been offered a group ticket price of £33.50 pp (usually up to £53.50). The evening to include a Question & Answer session and drinks – full details and a date within the preview period to follow in the next issue of Home Chat.

For queries: stephengreenman@noelcoward.net

NOËL COWARD’s PRIVATE LIVES

DIRECTED BY JONATHAN KENT
STARRING TOBY STEPHENS AND ANNA CHANCELLOR

Gielgud Theatre
Previews from 22 June 2013
Press Night 3 July 2013

“We are very excited to be working with Jonathan Church and all at Chichester Festival Theatre in bringing this cracking production of Private Lives, Noël Coward’s greatest comedy, to The Gielgud theatre this summer. Audiences of all ages will be enthralled by Toby Stephens and Anna Chancellor performing at the top of their game in Jonathan Kent’s witty, elegant, sexy production.”
Joseph Smith, Executive Producer for Old Vic Productions

Gallery

View photographs of members and guests at the London Noël Coward Birthday Celebrations 2012 in the Gallery.

Over 200 photographs were taken on our grandest day of the year.

Compilation photographs are in the new February edition of Home Chat.

In the May Edition of Home Chat . . .

• The May edition will come out later than usual due to changes in timings and commitments.
• More on an exciting programme of events for 2013 and 2014
• News of current and archive activity in the US, Australia and UK . . .

Noël Coward in 2013 . . .

PLEASE NOTE: This event is only open to members of the Noël Coward Society and their guests

‘An Evening of Wit and Songs of Noel Coward’

8.0pm, 27th of April, 2013 The Mill Studio, Guildford

We are holding 20 tickets for the ‘sell-out’ Peter Gill’s ‘An Evening of Wit and Noel Coward songs’ at the Mill Studio close to the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford. The evening consists of a light pre-theatre supper from 6.30pm onwards at the Bar des Arts in Guildford close by the Studio with a fixed menu of a continental meat platter served with French bread plus a soft drink, small glass of wine or beer. PLUS a ticket to see the show.

The total cost for meal and theatre ticket is £22.

PLEASE USE THE BOOKING FORM IN THE FEBRUARY EDITION OF HOME CHAT

For those who wish to journey by train from the capital: Trains depart from Waterloo Station (You are advised to get the Guildford train via Woking). It is about a ten to fifteen minutes walk from the Guildford Mainline station to the Bar des Arts and the Mill Studio. In the event of more than 20 people showing an interest we shall draw names (with partners/guests) from a hat. ‘

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PLEASE NOTE: This event is only open to members of the Noël Coward Society and their guests

‘A History of Goldenhurst’ with guest Julian Clary

2.00pm 6 June Smallhythe Barn Theatre, Kent

Last year officers of the Society were invited to join Julian Clary for lunch at Noël Coward’s Kentish home, Goldenhurst, now called the Old Manor. Although the completeness of Goldenhurst as it was in Coward’s day is gone, Julian has done an exceptional job in bringing back to life the converted Barn that Noël created in its past glory days.

This event will take place in the Smallhythe Barn Theatre, part of the National Trust property near Tenterdon in Kent that was the former home of Dame Ellen Terry the English stage actress who became the leading Shakespearean actress in Britain in the 1920s. The afternoon will allow us to look at the latest archive footage and colour images of Goldenhurst and its guests during Noël’s time at the house.

Following an interval for tea John Knowles will discuss the history of the 16th Century house with Julian Clary who has kindly agreed to join us. Sadly this small theatre has only 70 seats.

We expect there to be a lot of interest in this event so in the event of more than 70 people showing an interest we shall draw names (with their partners/guests) from a hat.

Those intending to apply for a ticket should be advised that a cushion is helpful to ease the impact of ancient timbers on one’s posterior and a coat as the concept of draught-proofing often eluded Elizabethan builders.

The cost for this event is set at £15

PLEASE USE THE BOOKING FORM IN THE FEBRUARY EDITION OF HOME CHAT

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Nude With Violin

Logos Theatre Company presents Nude With Violin with Judi Bowker, Harry Meacher, Carola Stewart. Directed by Bryan Hands Upstairs at The Gatehouse, Highgate Tuesday 9th to Sunday 28th July, 2013 Book on 020 8340 3488 www.upstairsatthegatehouse.com Stephen Greenman will be organising a trip to see this production if you are interested then please e-mail Stephen at: stephengreenman@noëlcoward.net

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Brief Encounter Exhibition at Carnforth Station
1st October to 11 December

The Society has arranged an exhibition about Noël Coward at the Carnforth Station Heritage Centre at the home of David Lean’s Brief Encounter the train station used for the external shots in the much-loved film version of Noël Coward’s play StillLife. The exhibition will run from 1st October to the 11 December 2013. A talk by John Knowles at the Heritage Centre about Noël Coward, will include video commentary on the film by Barry Day, posters and artefacts from the collection of the Noël Coward Estate, seen at the current Star Quality exhibition in New York. The talk will focus on the writing of Still Life as part of the collection of Coward’s one-act plays under the title Tonight at 8.30 and the development of the play into the film Brief Encounter.

In the introduction to a published edition of the plays, Coward wrote,

“A short play, having a great advantage over a long one in that it can sustain a mood without technical creaking or over padding, deserves a better fate, and if, by careful writing, acting and producing I can do a little towards reinstating it in its rightful pride, I shall have achieved one of my more sentimental ambitions.”

David Lean at Carnforth Station

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Noël Coward Music Index

The Noël Coward Music Index has been reborn on noelcowardmusic.com and is available for browsing and searching for details and background information on Coward’s music, songs and lyrics

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AMDRAM NEWS

We are currently redeveloping  our news of amateur productions of Coward’s work in your area! Let us know if you wish to be listed on our new pagee? email

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MEMBERS’ ARCHIVE

The NCS Members’ Archive is a passworded vault of back copies of Home Chat. This is not some kind of Coward recycling centre but a real resource full of articles about The Master, his work and his contemporaries. It contains interesting facts, news of the time and images taken from a huge variety of sources and articles, some from arts and media magazines of the past. The archive is not searchable at present but we hope to extract the major articles and make them available in a searchable format at some point later this year. There are a few missing copies but we hope to fill in the gaps and improve the quality of some of the back copies as time passes. Members’ Archive

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NOËL COWARD HIS VOICE IN VERSE

Barry Day has produced a recording of Coward’s verse read by Coward, his contemporaries and current actors and performers. The CD is being sold in aid of The Combined Theatrical Charities and sells in the UK at £7.99 or in the US $15 p&p included. If you would like a copy please contact Stephen Greenman in the UK and Ken Starrett in the US.
All proceeds go to The Combined Theatrical Charities.

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HOME CHAT - The May edition of Home Chat is out now.
Past online editions of Home Chat are always available to members on our Members’ Pages.

Virtually every copy of our magazine, Home Chat, that has ever been published, is available with live weblinks – and each one is searchable! More

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NCS on the US West Coast – ‘Coward On The Coast’
For current and past editions of this West Coast newsletter by Kathy Williams… Click here!

The Members’ Page includes every known edition of Home Chat that we have on file. Examine hundreds of articles on Noël Coward – his work and life.

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ONLINE CONTACTS - Please contact us if you have any queries on your membership or the delivery of Home Chat.

Chairman Denys Robinson
General Secretary: John Knowles • 29 Waldemar Avenue, Hellesdon, Norwich, NR6 6TB • Tel: +44 (0) 1603 486188 • Mob: 07427 114340
Finance and Resources: Stephen Greenman
Events Secretary: Geoffrey Skinner
UK/World membership: Stephen Duckham
US and Canada membership: Ken Starrett
Membership in France: Hélène Catsiapis
NCS on the West Coast of America: Kathy Williams
Australian membership: Kerry Hailstone
Editor of Home Chat (NCS newsletter) and Website John Knowles
Theatre and Media Michael Wheatley-Ward