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Semi-Monde
''Semi-Monde'' is a play written by Noël Coward in 1926, but not produced until 1977. Set in the foyer, lounge and bars of a grand Paris hotel, the play follows the lives of a variety of socialites over a three-year period from 1925. It is notable among works of the period for its prominent treatment of sexuality, both straight and gay. Background and first production Coward wrote the play during a long American tour starring in his play ''The Vortex''. The piece is set in the public rooms of a grand hotel in Paris over a period of three years. In the published text the hotel is unnamed, but Coward said it was based on the Ritz and originally titled the play ''Ritz Bar'';Coward, p. 220 the Ritz in Paris, like its namesake in London, had a bar known for its gay clientele. The author said of the play a decade after he wrote it, "It was well constructed and, on the whole, well written", but added that its production in London or New York had seemed unlikely "as some of the charact ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hôtel Ritz Paris
The Ritz Paris is a hotel in central Paris, overlooking the Place Vendôme in the city's 1st arrondissement. A member of the Leading Hotels of the World marketing group, the Ritz Paris is ranked among the most luxurious hotels in the world. The hotel was founded in 1898 by the Swiss hotelier César Ritz in collaboration with the French chef Auguste Escoffier. The hotel was constructed behind the façade of an eighteenth-century townhouse. It was among the first hotels in Europe to provide an en suite bathroom, electricity, and a telephone for each room. It quickly established a reputation for luxury and attracted a clientele that included royalty, politicians, writers, film stars, and singers. Several of its suites are named in honour of famous guests of the hotel including Coco Chanel, and the cocktail lounge Bar Hemingway pays tribute to writer Ernest Hemingway. Beginning in 2012, the 159-room hotel underwent a four-year, multimillion-euro renovation, reopening on 6 June 201 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Ommanney
Richard Ommanney is an English writer who has written extensively for TV. He initially trained as an actor at the Central School Of School of Speech and Drama. On TV he appeared in Get Some In, Red Letter Day, The Dragon's Opponent, and Jane Eyre in which he played Stephanie Beacham's brother Lord Ingram. In 1973/74 he spent a year in the West End at the Savoy Theatre in ''A Ghost on Tiptoe'' which starred Robert Morley. In 1976 he spent three months in Holland filming '' A Bridge Too Far'' directed by Richard Attenborough. His final appearance on stage was at the Citizens Theatre Glasgow alongside Pierce Brosnan and Ciaran Hinds in the world premiere of Noël Coward's Semi-Monde. In 1985 he made his situation comedy writing debut with the BBC sitcom ''Three Up, Two Down''. The first series topped the ratings and was followed by three more. Three Up Two Down has been optioned four times by American TV. In 1989 Richard spent five months in Los Angeles working on a pilot of Thr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Carlisle (actor)
John Carlisle (6 September 1935 – 7 December 2011) was an English television and stage actor. Early life Carlisle was born in London and named John Roxburgh Clark. He decided in his early teens that he wanted to become an actor. He started acting in amateur productions until he was called up for National Service. Upon his release he worked odd jobs, determined to finance an acting course at RADA. Eventually he found himself with enough money, only to discover all his hard work had been unnecessary, for he had been entitled to a council grant all along. On completion of his training at RADA, Carlisle joined Harrogate Repertory and subsequently appeared in repertory all over the country, including at Ipswich, Birmingham and Liverpool. ''Grand Theatre Wolverhampton: Relatively Speaking'', Programme April 1968. http://www.grandmemories.co.uk/Memory.aspx?MemoryId=238&FileId=2666#Images Television and film While appearing in repertory at Birmingham, Carlisle was spotted by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lyric Theatre, London
The Lyric Theatre is a West End theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster. It was built for the producer Henry Leslie, who financed it from the profits of the light opera hit, '' Dorothy'', which he transferred from its original venue to open the new theatre on 17 December 1888. Under Leslie and his early successors the house specialised in musical theatre, and that tradition has continued intermittently throughout the theatre's existence. Musical productions in the theatre's first four decades included ''The Mountebanks'' (1892), ''His Excellency'' (1894), '' The Duchess of Dantzig'' (1903), ''The Chocolate Soldier'' (1910) and '' Lilac Time'' (1922). Later musical shows included ''Irma La Douce'' (1958), ''Robert and Elizabeth'' (1964), '' John, Paul, George, Ringo ... and Bert'' (1974), '' Blood Brothers'' (1983), ''Five Guys Named Moe'' (1990) and '' Thriller – Live'' (2009). Many non-musical productions have been staged at the Lyric, from Shakespeare to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jean Gilpin
Jean Gilpin (born ) is an English actress. Early life Gilpin was born in London. Her father worked for the United Nations and she thus lived in various locations while growing up, such as China, Cuba, France, Switzerland, Thailand, the Congo, the U.S. (specifically New York City), and Zambia. She attended schools in England, France, Switzerland, and Thailand. She gained a BA in Drama and English from Bristol University before training at the Drama Centre London. Career Gilpin first made some brief appearances in BBC Bristol productions as a student in the Bristol University Drama Department. Her first professional theatrical job was a season with the Nottingham Playhouse Company where she received her Equity card. She spent three years at the Glasgow Citizens' Theatre, playing Principal Boy in their traditional pantomimes, and performing in Noël Coward's ''Semi-Monde'' directed by Philip Prowse. Gilpin spent a year with the Royal Shakespeare Company. She played the Duche ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise"."Noel Coward at 70" ''Time'', 26 December 1969, p. 46 Coward attended a dance academy in London as a child, making his professional stage début at the age of eleven. As a teenager he was introduced into the high society in which most of his plays would be set. Coward achieved enduring success as a playwright, publishing more than 50 plays from his teens onwards. Many of his works, such as '' |
Evelyn Laye
Evelyn Laye (née Elsie Evelyn Lay; 10 July 1900 – 17 February 1996) was an English actress who was active on the London light opera stage, and later in New York and Hollywood. Her first husband, actor Sonnie Hale, left her for Jessie Matthews, earning much public sympathy for Laye. Her second husband was actor Frank Lawton, with whom she often appeared in stage productions. Early years Laye was born as Elsie Evelyn Lay in Bloomsbury, London, and known informally as Boo. Her parents were both actors and her father a theatre manager. Career Lay made her first stage appearance in August 1915 at the Theatre Royal, Brighton as Nang-Ping in ''Mr. Wu'', and her first London appearance at the East Ham Palace on 24 April 1916, aged 15, in the revue ''Honi Soit'', in which she subsequently toured. For the first few years of her career she mainly played in musical comedy and operetta, including ''The Beauty Spot'' in 1917 and '' Going Up'' in 1918. Among her successes dur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Judi Dench
Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Regarded as one of Britain's best actresses, she is noted for her versatile work in various films and television programmes encompassing several genres, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage. Dench has garnered various accolades throughout a career spanning over six decades, including an Academy Award, a Tony Award, two Golden Globe Awards, four British Academy Television Awards, six British Academy Film Awards and seven Olivier Awards. Dench made her professional debut in 1957 with the Old Vic Company. Over the following few years, she performed in several of Shakespeare's plays, in such roles as Ophelia in ''Hamlet'', Juliet in '' Romeo and Juliet'' and Lady Macbeth in '' Macbeth''. Although most of Dench's work during this period was in theatre, she also branched into film work and won a BAFTA Award as Most Promising Newcomer. In 1968, she drew excellent reviews for her leading role of Sal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Adam Faith
Terence Nelhams Wright (23 June 1940 – 8 March 2003), known as Adam Faith, was an English singer, actor, and financial journalist. A teen idol, he scored consecutive No. 1 hits on the UK Singles Chart with "What Do You Want?" (1959) and "Poor Me" (1960). He became the first UK artist to lodge his initial seven hits in the top 5, and was ultimately one of the most charted acts of the 1960s. He was also one of the first UK acts to record original songs regularly. Faith also maintained an acting career, appearing as Dave in the teen exploitation film ''Beat Girl'' (1960), the eponymous lead in the ITV television series '' Budgie'' (1971–1972) and Frank Carver in the BBC comedy drama ''Love Hurts'' (1992–1994). Early life and education Terence Nelhams Wright was born on 23 June 1940 at 4, East Churchfield Road, Acton, Middlesex (now London), England, son of coach driver Alfred Richard Nelhams and cleaner Ellen May (née Burridge), formerly wife of Cecil G. Wright, from whom ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Patricia Hodge
Patricia Ann Hodge, OBE (born 29 September 1946) is an English actor. She is known on-screen for playing Phyllida Erskine-Brown in ''Rumpole of the Bailey'' (1978–1992), Jemima Shore in ''Jemima Shore Investigates'' (1983), Penny in '' Miranda'' (2009–2015) and Mrs Pumphrey in '' All Creatures Great and Small'' (2021–present). Hodge made her West End debut in 1972 and the next year starred in the West End production of ''Pippin'' directed by Bob Fosse. Hodge has received two nominations for the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical, and in 2000, she won the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the play ''Money''. Her other screen credits include the 1983 film ''Betrayal'', the 1986 TV adaptation of ''The Life and Loves of a She-Devil'', and the TV film ''Hotel du Lac'' (1986). For her role in ''Hotel du Lac'', Hodge received a nomination for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress. Early life Hodge was born in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. The daug ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
June Whitfield
Dame June Rosemary Whitfield (11 November 1925 – 29 December 2018) was an English radio, television, and film actress. Her big break was a lead in the radio comedy ''Take It from Here'', which aired on the BBC Light Programme in 1953. Television roles soon followed, including appearances with Tony Hancock throughout his television career. In 1966, Whitfield played the leading role in the television sitcom '' Beggar My Neighbour'', which ran for three series. She also appeared in four ''Carry On'' films: ''Carry On Nurse'' (1959), ''Carry On Abroad'' (1972), ''Carry On Girls'' (1973), and ''Carry On Columbus'' (1992). In 1968, Whitfield and Terry Scott began a long television partnership, which peaked with roles as husband and wife in '' Happy Ever After'' (1974–1979) and ''Terry and June'' (1979–1987). From 1992 to 2012, Whitfield played Edina Monsoon's mother in Jennifer Saunders' ''Absolutely Fabulous''. She played a regular character in ''Last of the Summer Wine ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joanna Lumley
Dame Joanna Lamond Lumley (born 1 May 1946) is an English actress, presenter, former model, author, television producer, and activist. She has won two BAFTA TV Awards for her role as Patsy Stone in the BBC sitcom ''Absolutely Fabulous'' (1992–2012), and was nominated for the 2011 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for the Broadway revival of '' La Bête''. In 2013, she received the Special Recognition Award at the National Television Awards, and in 2017 she was honoured with the BAFTA Fellowship award. Lumley's other television credits include '' The New Avengers'' (1976–1977), ''Sapphire & Steel'' (1979–1982), '' Sensitive Skin'' (2005–2007), '' Jam & Jerusalem'' (2006–2008) and '' Finding Alice'' (2021–present) as well as playing Elaine Perkins in '' Coronation Street'' in 1973. Her film appearances include '' On Her Majesty's Secret Service'' (1969), ''Trail of the Pink Panther'' (1982), ''Shirley Valentine'' (1989), ''James and the Giant Peach'' ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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