Blithe Spirit, Hay Fever, Private Lives - (Vintage International) by Noël Coward (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Filled with languid aristocrats trading witticisms as they wait for martinis, this collection of three Noel Coward plays encapsulates the qualities that made him one of the most popular playwrights of the 1930s and '40s and one of the great personalities of the century.

In Blithe Spirit, Charles Condomine receives a visit from his first wife, Elvira. Unfortunately, Elvira is now a ghost and Charles has, understandably, moved on and married Ruth.

The bohemian protagonists of Hay Fever wreak emotional havoc on a house full of weekend visitors.

In Private Lives, a recently divorced couple find themselves in adjoining hotel rooms while on honeymoon with their new spouses.

From the Back Cover

Languid aristocrats with a taste for martinis and a gift for repartee. Bright young things who keep their composure even when confronted with proof of their latest indiscretion. Wit as effervescent as a sip of Dom Perignon, and a sensibility that effortlessly reconciles cynicism and romance. These qualities made Noel Coward one of the most popular play-wrights of the 1930s and '40s -- and ensured that his plays became classics. Here, three of his most irresistible comedies of manners are available in a single volume.

In Blithe Spirit, Charles Condomine receives a visit from his first wife, Elvira. Unfortunately, Charles is now married to Ruth, and Elvira is a ghost. The bohemian protagonists of Hay Fever wreak emotional havoc on a houseful of weekend visitors. In Private Lives, a recently divorced couple find themselves in adjoining hotel rooms while on honeymoon with their new -- and wholly unsuitable -- spouses. Giddy, elegant, and unflappably serene in their appreciation of human vice and folly, these plays are Coward at his finest.

Review Quotes

"That was the trouble with Elyot and me, we were like two violent acids bubbling about in a nasty little matrimonial bottle."

-- from Private Lives

About the Author

Noël Coward, an English playwright, actor, composer, and director, was born in 1899 in Teddington, a suburb of London. He was called "the Master" of theater by his colleagues and fans. His career spanned six decades and many of his plays--including Blithe Spirit, Hay Fever, and Private Lives--are still in regular theater repertory.