Oh Coward!
A Musical Comedy Revue
Words and Music by Noel Coward
Devised by Roderick Cook
Musical Direction by Doug Peck
Directed by Jim Corti
At Writers’ Theatre
Slick, sophisticated, stylish Noel Coward tune-fest a ‘smashing success!’
“I have always been very fond of drama critics…I think it is so frightfully clever of them to go night after night to the theatre and know so little about it.”
“The theatre is a wonderful place, a house of strange enchantment, a temple of illusion. What it most emphatically is not and never will be is a scruffy, ill-lit, fumed-oak drill hall serving as a temporary soap box for political propaganda.”
“I am determined to travel through life first class.”
–Noel Coward
Kudos to Writers’ Theatre and director Jim Corti for creating an amazing musical comedy revue steeped in the 1920-30’s styled themed concept show. Filled with the words and songs of Noel Coward (1899-1973), the English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit and flamboyance, Oh Coward! is a sharp 34 song-fest that is brilliantly performed by Kate Fry, Rob Lindley, John Sanders with terrific arrangements and deft piano work from Doug Peck. You’d be hard pressed to see a more slick, sophisticated, well sung musical revue.
Elegance and a carefully crafted image and an acute sense of style were the hallmarks of Noel Coward. That sense is evident in the 30’s style nightclub set (designed by Kevin Depinet) and with the carefully detailed costume designs (by Rachel Anne Healy) that featured sleek dresses for Kate Fry and finely tailored men’s vested or double-breasted suits with bow ties for Sanders and Lindley. Style, proper high English accents, smartly crafted enunciation gave the witticism and Coward songs just the proper edge to communicate his effervescent music and lyrics with their proper satirical bite.
Coward’s songbook is in terrific hands with this fabulous threesome. They sing harmonies, they participate in Coward-ish witty repartee to life and social norms as they throughout captivate us.
Kate Fry brings her glorious, glowing, glamor to Coward’s tunes, especially with “London Pride,” ” If Love Were All,” and “Nina.” Fry’s voice never sounded better.
John Sanders, ever the British gentleman, nicely nails tune like “Why Do the Wrong people Travel,” “This is a Changing World” and “You Were There.” Sanders is an elegant song stylist.
But I was enchanted with the work of Rob Lindley who seemed to be channeling Noel Coward with his edge of style, his gestures and his speech patterns. Lindley has a sharp edge to Coward tunes such as “Let’s Say Goodbye,” ” Mad Dogs and Englishman” “and “Mad About the Boy.”
Doug Peck’s piano work and his skilled arrangements fueled Coward’s score. The three-part work by this outstanding cast landed favorites like the musical ditties–“Chase Me, Charlie, ” What Ho, Mrs. Brisket” and ‘Has Anybody Seen Our Ship?” The classic Coward songs–“Mrs. Worthington” and “I Went to a Marvelous Party” highlighted this revue.
Get to Writers’ Theatre (Books on Vernon) to get a dose of the wit and flamboyance of one of the great entertainers of the 20th Century–Noel Coward. Oh Coward! is more than a great musical comedy revue–it is a ‘Marvelous Party.’
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
At Writers’ Theatre (books on Vernon), 664 Vernon, Glencoe, IL, call 847-242-6000, www.writerstheatre.org, tickets $40 -$60, Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 7:30, Thursdays & Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 4 & 8 pm, Sundays at 2 & 6 pm, special Wednesday matinees at 2 pm on Dec 13, Jan 10 & Mar 21, running time is 2 hours, 10 minutes with intermission.