Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham – until 3rd October 2026
Reviewed by Jacqui Radford
4****
If you are wondering how a Noël Coward classic farce can be refreshed for today’s audience, this production of Present Laughter is a perfect example of what is possible and how far things can be taken. Director Lindsay Posner has taken the original 1939 farce, dropped it into 1970s New York and filled it with glamour, glitter, and garish lapels.
The boldest twist is the gender flip at the heart of the show. At the centre of the chaos is Geri Essendine. Noël Coward’s famously self-absorbed leading man, now transformed into a leading lady. By flipping the gender, the show transforms a mid-life crisis comedy into something more modern. It gives the story a fresh lens on fame, ageing and women in the spotlight.
Tracy-Ann Oberman’s Geri is a force of nature: fierce, funny and fabulously sequin-clad. She sweeps through her Manhattan apartment like a tornado. We meet her juggling her preparations for an upcoming theatre tour to Australia with the competing demands of an entourage of admirers, ex-lovers, opportunists and eccentrics. Her personality, wit and charm either endear or entrap those around her, and it’s this eclectic mix that delivers the farce we are waiting for.
James Dreyfus plays Monty, Geri’s long-suffering secretary. Originally Monica in Coward’s script, Monty becomes a dry, deadpan counterweight to Geri’s flamboyance. His eye-rolls, sighs, and perfectly timed pauses land with comic precision.
The whole production is peppered with bold 1970s New York details. Geri’s apartment feels like the kind of place where parties could be never-ending and where self-indulgence is a house rule. The supporting cast add plenty of sparkle to the chaos, each bringing their own dynamic to Geri’s increasingly crowded world and strengthening the farcical elements.
There are moments in the production that feel a little slow when compared to the more rapid scenes that include door slamming, lovers hiding in spare rooms and secrets unravelling but ultimately, this production of Present Laughter is witty and theatrical. It is a dazzling reinvention that honours Coward’s spirit. You leave the theatre feeling as though “The Master” himself would have been amused, and perhaps even a little impressed by the sequins.