In Noël Coward’s classic comedy, matinee idol Garry Essendine sits at the center of his own universe. While Garry struggles to plan his upcoming trip to Africa, his elegant London flat is invaded by a lovestruck ingenue, an adulterous producer and a married seductress, not to mention Garry’s estranged wife and a crazed young playwright. Just before Garry escapes, the full extent of his misdemeanors is discovered and all hell breaks loose.
What Is the Story of Present Laughter?
Present Laughter takes place in the home of famed actor Garry Essendine, a puffed-up charmer with a knack for histrionics, wooing women and extreme displays of vanity. With his birthday rapidly approaching, Essendine is poised to set off on a literal tour of Africa and a figurative midlife crisis, and his entire team—including an indifferent staff of servants, a wry personal secretary, a set of entangled business associates and a bemused ex-wife—is in hurried preparation for both. The actor’s expertly assembled life is upended when a predatory fan, an obsessed playwright and a young woman with more than Essendine’s resume on her mind are simultaneously thrown into the mix, all vying for the self-obsessed actor’s attention. As things spin wildly out of control, Essendine must scramble to keep his house of cards standing—and decide whether there’s room in his life to love anyone but himself.
