Fumed Oak
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Fumed Oak
''Fumed Oak'' is a short play in two scenes by Noël Coward, one of ten that make up '' Tonight at 8.30'', a cycle written to be performed across three evenings. Coward billed the work as an "unpleasant comedy in two scenes". The play concerns a downtrodden, middle-aged salesman who, having saved up enough money to cut all ties, walks out on his wife, mother-in-law and "horrible adenoidal daughter", having first told all three what he thinks of them. In the introduction to a published edition of the plays, Coward wrote, "A short play, having a great advantage over a long one in that it can sustain a mood without technical creaking or over padding, deserves a better fate, and if, by careful writing, acting and producing I can do a little towards reinstating it in its rightful pride, I shall have achieved one of my more sentimental ambitions." The play was first produced in 1935 in Manchester and on tour and played in London (1936) and New York (1936–1937). It has enjoyed sever ...
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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 O' ...
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Sinclair-Stevenson
Sinclair-Stevenson Ltd is a British publisher founded in 1989 by Christopher Sinclair-Stevenson. Christopher Sinclair-Stevenson became an editor at Hamish Hamilton in 1961. Thirteen years later in 1974 he became managing director, establishing "a close-knit and successful team", he "developed an unrivalled reputation for looking after his authors". Then in 1989 he resigned and set up his own company, Sinclair-Stevenson Ltd, and took a number of staff and authors with him. Sinclair-Stevenson Ltd was subsumed into the Random House Group in February 1997 with the purchase of the Reed Consumer Trade Division. References Publishing companies established in 1989 Book publishing companies based in London Companies disestablished in 1997 Random House 1989 establishments in England 1997 disestablishments in England {{England-company-stub ...
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Castle, Charles
Charles Castle (26 May 1939 – 5 October 2013) was a South African-born British tap dancer, writer and television producer. without paywall via '' Irish Independent'', 27 October 2013) Castle produced two documentaries, ''This Was Richard Tauber'' and ''This Was Noël Coward'', which won the International Critics' Award at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival. He wrote biographies about celebrities, including Noël Coward, Joan Crawford, Oliver Messel, and Margaret, Duchess of Argyll. Castle died at Montcabirol, a hamlet near Mirepoix A mirepoix ( ; ) is a flavor base made from diced vegetables cooked—usually with butter, oil, or other fat—for a long time on low heat without coloring or browning, as further cooking, often with the addition of tomato purée, creates a dar ..., France. References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Castle, Charles 1939 births 2013 deaths Tap dancers British documentary filmmakers British male dancers British biographers Celebrity ...
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Joyce Carey
Joyce Carey, OBE (30 March 1898 – 28 February 1993) was an English actress, best known for her long professional and personal relationship with Noël Coward. Her stage career lasted from 1916 until 1987, and she was performing on television in her 90s. Although never a star, she was a familiar face both on stage and screen. In addition to light comedy, she had a large repertory of Shakespearean roles. Career Joyce Carey was born Joyce Lilian Lawrence, the daughter of actor Gerald Lawrence, a matinée idol who had been a juvenile in Henry Irving's Shakespeare company, and his wife, actress Lilian Braithwaite,''Gaye'', pp 426–427 a major West End star."Obituary", ''The Times'', 3 March 1993, p. 17 Carey was educated at the Florence Etlinger Dramatic School. Carey made her stage debut in 1916, aged 18, as Princess Katherine in an all-female production of ''Henry V''. She joined Sir George Alexander's company at the St James's Theatre playing Jacqueline, a French countess, ...
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Alison Leggatt
Alison Joy Leggatt (7 February 1904 – 15 July 1990) was an English character actress. Career Born in the Kensington district of London, Leggatt trained under Elsie Fogerty at the Central School of Speech and Drama, then based in the Royal Albert Hall, London. Leggatt spent the early part of her career primarily on the stage. Her performance in Miles Malleson's ''The Fanatics'' in 1927 launched her, according to ''The New York Times'', as "one of the most promising theatrical newcomers of her generation". Other stage work included the original 1931 Drury Lane production of ''Cavalcade'' by Noël Coward. Her first major film credit was as Aunt Sylvia in ''This Happy Breed'' (1944), Noël Coward's homage to the British working class. She was known for playing a variety of disapproving in-laws, motherly landladies, nosy neighbours and helpful housekeepers. She played opposite Petula Clark three times, in ''Here Come the Huggetts'' (1948), ''The Card'' (1952) and ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips ...
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Moya Nugent
Moya Nugent (27 March 1901 – 26 January 1954) was a British actress and singer. She made a few broadcasts and three silent films but was chiefly known as a stage performer, and was particularly associated with the works of Noël Coward, appearing in twelve of his plays and two of his revues. Before that, she appeared early in her career in ''Peter Pan'', and was cast in other children's plays and pantomimes. She was in the West End casts of revues by Cole Porter and others, and in musical comedies such as '' Lilac Time''. Her last stage role was in 1950; she died suddenly in 1954, aged 52. Life and career Nugent was born in Dublin. At the age of ten she made her first appearance on the stage, at the Playhouse Theatre, London on 21 September 1911, as Meenie in ''Rip Van Winkle''.Parker, pp. 1818–1819 Later that year she played the Baby Mermaid and Liza in ''Peter Pan'' at the Duke of York's Theatre, repeating the roles in the three succeeding annual revivals of the play. Be ...
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Joan Collins
Dame Joan Henrietta Collins (born 23 May 1933) is an English actress, author and columnist. Collins is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. In 1983, she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She has been recognised for her philanthropy, particularly her advocacy towards causes relating to children, which has earned her many honours. In 2015, she was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II for her charitable services. She is one of the last surviving stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Collins was born in Paddington, London and trained as an actress in her teens at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She signed to The Rank Organisation at the age of 17 and had small roles in the British films ''Lady Godiva Rides Again'' (1951) and ''The Woman's Angle'' (1952) before taking on a supporting role in ''Judgment Deferred'' (1952). Collins went unde ...
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Anthony Pelissier
Harry Anthony Compton Pelissier (27 July 1912 – 2 April 1988) was an English actor, screenwriter, producer and director. Biography Pelissier was born in Barnet and came from a theatrical family. His parents were the theatre producer H. G. Pelissier (who presented ''Pelissier's Follies'') and the actress Fay Compton. His uncle was Compton MacKenzie, who wrote '' Whisky Galore''. Pelissier began acting in the 1930s. In 1935 and 1936, he was featured in Noël Coward's play cycle, '' Tonight at 8.30'', both in Britain and on Broadway. He also played in Coward's ''Set to Music'' (1939) He began writing in 1937 and directing in 1949. He was the screenwriter and director of four popular films: ''The History of Mr Polly'' (1949), ''The Rocking Horse Winner'' (1950), ''Night Without Stars'' (1951), and ''Personal Affair'' starring Gene Tierney written by Lesley Storm. He also directed ''Encore'' (1951). He also directed Ealing's satire on television '' Meet Mr Lucifer'' (1953). He lat ...
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Meet Me Tonight
''Meet Me Tonight'' is a 1952 omnibus British comedy film adapted from three one act plays by Noël Coward: ''Red Peppers'', ''Fumed Oak'' and '' Ways and Means''; which are part of his '' Tonight at 8.30'' play cycle. The film was released as ''Tonight at 8:30'' in the U.S. It was directed by Anthony Pelissier and starred Valerie Hobson, Nigel Patrick, Stanley Holloway, Ted Ray and Jack Warner. It earned billings of £97,000. Plot In "The Red Peppers", a husband and wife song and dance team (Kay Walsh, Ted Ray) bicker with each other, another performer (Martita Hunt), and the theatre manager (Frank Pettingell). In "Fumed Oak", a middle-aged man (Stanley Holloway) finally has enough of his wife, daughter, and mother-in-law ( Betty Ann Davies, Dorothy Gordon, and Mary Merrall respectively). Having saved enough money secretly, he announces to his stunned family that he is leaving, never to see them again. In the final segment, "Ways and Means", a husband (Nigel Patrick) and h ...
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The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid digital subscribers. It also is a producer of popular podcasts such as '' The Daily''. Founded in 1851 by Henry Jarvis Raymond and George Jones, it was initially published by Raymond, Jones & Company. The ''Times'' has won 132 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any newspaper, and has long been regarded as a national " newspaper of record". For print it is ranked 18th in the world by circulation and 3rd in the U.S. The paper is owned by the New York Times Company, which is publicly traded. It has been governed by the Sulzberger family since 1896, through a dual-class share structure after its shares became publicly traded. A. G. Sulzberger, the paper's publisher and the company's chairman, is the fifth generation of the family to head the pa ...
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Williamstown Theatre Festival
The Williamstown Theatre Festival is a resident summer theater on the campus of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1954 by Williams College news director Ralph Renzi and drama program chairman David C. Bryant. It was awarded a Tony Award in 2002 and the Massachusetts Cultural Council Commonwealth Award in 2011. History Inception The Williamstown Theatre Festival was conceived as a way to use the Adams Memorial Theatre on Williams College campus for a resident theatre company. Marcia Henderson, a Theatre World winner and Williamstown native, performed in the first play of the festival. Other notable actors have since participated in the festival, including Sigourney Weaver, Gwyneth Paltrow, Christopher Walken, Nathan Lane, Richard Chamberlain, Kate Burton, Olympia Dukakis, Paul Giamatti, Bradley Cooper, Calista Flockhart, Matthew Broderick, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Uma Thurman. Nikos Psacharopoulus Nikos Psacharopoulos, a professor at Y ...
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