Photos: Noel Coward's PRESENT LAUGHTER At The Everyman

Ian McGuirk brings his production of Noel Coward’s Present Laughter to The Everyman. See photos of the production.

Present Laughter is one of Noel Coward’s four great comedies of manners, along with Hay Fever, Private Lives and Blithe Spirit. An overwhelming critical and commercial success when it was first produced in London’s West End in 1942, the play presents a masterly, exaggerated, picture not only of the playwright himself, but of his whole household, his court, his admirers, his lifestyle, and his era. This production comes to The Everyman after a sell-out run at Cork Arts Theatre and features an all-Cork cast with direction by Mary Curtin.

The plot depicts a few days in the life of the successful, and self-obsessed, light comedy actor Garry Essendine as he prepares to travel for a touring commitment in Africa. Amid a series of events bordering on farce, Garry has to deal with women who want to seduce him, placate both his long-suffering secretary and his wife, cope with a crazed young playwright, and overcome his impending midlife crisis.

Present Laughter is directed by the renowned Mary Curtin, features a cast of Cork's finest: well known seasoned actors, many of whom who have performed extensively with the Everyman Theatre Company over the years - Shirley McCarthy, Rebecca Allman, Ann Dorgan, Ian McGuirk, Vannessa Hyde - Marie O Donovan of the hilarious annual adult panto & the comedic dinner theatrical experience Hysterical Histories, Jim O Mahoney, famed for his Frank Sinatra one man show, musical theatre specialist Kenneth Speight, and one of Cork's rising young talents Oskar Smith, who recently completed filming with the veteran actor Colm Meany.

 Producer McGuirk set up his production company with the intention of producing as many classical & traditional theatre pieces as possible. He has had a long association with the  Everyman Theatre Company, most notably under the directorial stewardship of the late, great, Michael Twomey. Having performed extensively in many of their productions written by writers as diverse as  Oscar Wilde, J B Priestley,  & John B. Keane he recognises that there is a huge demand amongst Cork audiences to be entertained by these writers whose plays have become timeless and are enjoyed as much today as they were when they premiered within the last 100 years.

Present Laughter is considered one of the enduring successes of modern comedic theatre and a prime example of the sophisticated comedies of Noel Coward.

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