A Remarkable Young Man

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 80, 25 June 1927, Page 22

A Remarkable Young Man

Versatile Noel Coward PLAYWRIGHT, ACTOR, PRODUCER (Written for THE SUN.) Ever since the production of “The Vortex,” Noel Coward has become the most talked of young man in theatrical circles in London. He has out only written plays that are remarkable, but he also produces them and acted the leading parts with such skill that he has frankly astonished critical playgoers. It has all happened very much as things happen in story-books, and it is all very remarkable in a young man who is not yet twenty-eight. \TOEL Coward was born at Teddington, Middlesex, in 1899, and he has been “in” the theatre since he was ten years old. “I began as a precocious boy actor, and I was the very worst boy actor who was ever allowed to inflict himself upon unfortunate playgoers,” he will tell you. Such remarks are characteristic of this young man who is to-dhy being seriously hailed by some people as per-

haps the greatest “hope” among youthful dramatists. He has the inviluable gift of being able to get outside himself and laugh at himself. “I wrote my first produced play when I was 19, and people said it was marvellous,” he once told a critic. “Of course it was not marvellous at all.” Tall, dark, slightly built, and with a very alert sense of humour, Noel Coward gives one the impression of being considerably older than he is. Apart from reading, he is wrapped up in the theatre, and his versatility is remarkable; he is a sort of English George M. Cohan, that many-sided American who is actor, author, composer. producer and lyrist in one person. Noel Coward made the revue London Calling,” which a year ago had a very good run at the Duke of York’s Theatre practically by himself. He wrote the book, the lyrics, the music, and sang and danced in the piece. He comed >' "The Young a year UCh ran at the Savo >' f or over

He is a popular young man, a 'fL agreeable young man, an am young man. „ nigh A good story is told of h * . t 0 sense of humour. When ho _ leave the cast of “London Caul s. sent the management a score UIJ grams in the name of very oS t people.deploring liis secession extravagant terms —character t« an a young man to whom the wer yearn using oyster. Again. 3 0 /F cently, he swept society v °“V Ev e/’ their feet in an open letter * in which he roundly condeir ' for their attitude toward ’ jfarCoward’s latest play is 4#r _ gueffl quise,” which followed i Was in the Parlour.”