Suite in Three Keys is a trilogy of plays by Noël Coward. It comprises two short plays – Shadows of the Evening and Come Into the Garden, Maud – designed to be given as a double bill, and a stand-alone full-length play, A Song at Twilight. They are all set in the same suite in a luxury Swiss hotel and have a single character common to all three: the Italian waiter. The other characters are British, American and German hotel guests or visitors.
Cover of 1966 edition of the trilogy
The trilogy was first presented in London in 1966, starring Coward, Lilli Palmer and Irene Worth.
Suite in Three Keys was planned by Coward as his theatrical swan song: "I would like to act once more before I fold my bedraggled wings."[1] He wrote the three plays in the expectation that Margaret Leighton would be his co-star, but she vacillated for so long about accepting the roles that he cast Lilli Palmer instead.[2] In each of the plays there are two main female parts, and Coward chose Irene Worth for the second role.[3] The only character common to all three plays, Felix, the young Italian waiter, was played by Sean Barrett.[4] The other characters, nine in all, are English, American or German guests or visitors at the hotel, played by Coward, Palmer and Worth.[5]
They originally ran in repertory for a limited season ending on 30 July 1966.[4][6] All were directed by Vivian Matalon.[7] There were 64 performances of A Song at Twilight and 60 of the double bill.[4]
Coward had intended to appear in the trilogy on Broadway, but his health was deteriorating, and he was unable to do so. In 1974, a year after his death, A Song at Twilight and Come Into the Garden Maud were presented on Broadway as Noël Coward in Two Keys; Shadows of the Evening was omitted, and at 2020 has not had a Broadway production.[8]
Day, Barry, ed. (2007). The Letters of Noël Coward. London: Methuen. ISBN978-1-4081-0675-4.
Hoare, Philip (1995). Noël Coward, A Biography. London: Sinclair-Stevenson. ISBN978-1-4081-0675-4.
Mander, Raymond; Mitchenson, Joe; Barry Day; Sheridan Morley (2000) [1957]. Theatrical Companion to Coward (second ed.). London: Oberon. ISBN978-1-84002-054-0.
December 14, 2023
suite, three, keys, trilogy, plays, noël, coward, comprises, short, plays, shadows, evening, come, into, garden, maud, designed, given, double, bill, stand, alone, full, length, play, song, twilight, they, same, suite, luxury, swiss, hotel, have, single, chara. Suite in Three Keys is a trilogy of plays by Noel Coward It comprises two short plays Shadows of the Evening and Come Into the Garden Maud designed to be given as a double bill and a stand alone full length play A Song at Twilight They are all set in the same suite in a luxury Swiss hotel and have a single character common to all three the Italian waiter The other characters are British American and German hotel guests or visitors Cover of 1966 edition of the trilogyThe trilogy was first presented in London in 1966 starring Coward Lilli Palmer and Irene Worth Contents 1 Background and first performances 2 References and sources 2 1 References 2 2 SourcesBackground and first performances editSuite in Three Keys was planned by Coward as his theatrical swan song I would like to act once more before I fold my bedraggled wings 1 He wrote the three plays in the expectation that Margaret Leighton would be his co star but she vacillated for so long about accepting the roles that he cast Lilli Palmer instead 2 In each of the plays there are two main female parts and Coward chose Irene Worth for the second role 3 The only character common to all three plays Felix the young Italian waiter was played by Sean Barrett 4 The other characters nine in all are English American or German guests or visitors at the hotel played by Coward Palmer and Worth 5 The trilogy comprises A Song at Twilight premiered 14 April 1966 A double bill premiered 25 April 1966 Shadows of the Evening and Come Into the Garden MaudThey originally ran in repertory for a limited season ending on 30 July 1966 4 6 All were directed by Vivian Matalon 7 There were 64 performances of A Song at Twilight and 60 of the double bill 4 Coward had intended to appear in the trilogy on Broadway but his health was deteriorating and he was unable to do so In 1974 a year after his death A Song at Twilight and Come Into the Garden Maud were presented on Broadway as Noel Coward in Two Keys Shadows of the Evening was omitted and at 2020 has not had a Broadway production 8 References and sources editReferences edit Coward introduction unnumbered page Day p 734 Hoare pp 395 396 a b c Mander and Mitchenson p 513 Mander and Mitchenson pp 513 519 Theatres The Times 30 June 1966 p 4 Mander and Mitchenson p 514 Noel Coward Internet Broadway Database Retrieved 21 July 2020 Sources edit Coward Noel 1994 Plays Five Sheridan Morley introduction London Methuen ISBN 978 0 413 51740 1 Day Barry ed 2007 The Letters of Noel Coward London Methuen ISBN 978 1 4081 0675 4 Hoare Philip 1995 Noel Coward A Biography London Sinclair Stevenson ISBN 978 1 4081 0675 4 Mander Raymond Mitchenson Joe Barry Day Sheridan Morley 2000 1957 Theatrical Companion to Coward second ed London Oberon ISBN 978 1 84002 054 0 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Suite in Three Keys amp oldid 1147956816, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
