PRESENT LAUGHTER A REVIEW

The plays of Noel Coward can be tricky to pull off. They require the lightest touch in the acting and staging departments,and this touch is very much in evidence in Nicholas Martin's bright, lively staging of PRESENT LAUGHTER.
This is Mr Coward's light comedy about getting old while trying to stay young. It is about an aging, self-absorbed,and self pitying actor trying to stay young at any cost. Written in 1939 and first done on Broadway in 1946[with Clifton Webb in the leading role] , this has become one of Mr. Coward's most durable plays. It is full of wit and sophistication,and if it is done right can be quite touching as well.
This production is almost always on the right track. As the aging actor trying to challange Father Time, Victor Garber could not be improved upon. He has the wit and skill to make what could have become an annoying egnomaniac into a likeable and engaging person. He is backed up by a strong supporting cast, and Mr. Martin's staging is full of zip and zing.
The scenery and costumes by Alexander Dodge and Jane Greenwood respectivly are first rate, and Rui Rita's lighting sets them off superbly.
While it is not a classic, or even first rate Coward, this production of PRESENT LAUGHTER is bright, witty, and very satisfying.
At THE AMERICAN AIRLINES THEATRE 227 WEST 42nd STREET N.Y.C.