Reader Reviews
Semi Monde (Lyric Theatre, West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | This is quite one of the most interesting theatrical reclamations London has seen in a long while. It has taken exactly three quarters of a century for Noel Coward’s 1926 play to reach the West End, and its been long overdue. Part of the reason why its taken so long was simply cost -- its a brave producer who can field a company of 30-odd (and some very odd, but we like it like that!) actors. So bravo Thelma Holt! But also its risque content -- upfront representations of gay trysts, lesbian ones, bi-sexual toyboys, and marital infidelities -- precluded presentation until 1968, when the Lord Chamberlain's office finally lost its grip on matters of theatrical propriety. Set in a plush Paris hotel foyer and bar, it observes – with sly wit and alluring detail – the parade of personalities that pass through it. As superbly rendered by this fantastic cast, Philip Prowse's magnificent production gives this impressionistic piece a beautifully textured and lovingly rendered performance. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 09 Apr 01 |
| Laugh? I nearly woke up. I quite like a Noel Coward play now and again but this was awful. Dull, dull, dull. The play is about a group of the most shallow people in the world who all congregate in a Paris hotel, before the war. All they seem capable of doing is sleeping with one another and they witter on and on about how fightfully ghastly everything is. If you are looking for a night out as good as Semi Monde you can come and watch my wallpaper dry. I'll only charge £27 a ticket. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 28 Mar 01 |
| even great authors like Noel Coward turned out duds and Semi-Monde is a turkey of epic proportions ... read my reviews at www.queercompany.com - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 27 Mar 01 |
