Hay Fever
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Hay Fever is a comic play written by Noel Coward in 1924 and first produced in 1925 with Marie Tempest as the first Judith Bliss. Best described as a cross between high farce and a comedy of manners, the play is set in a British country house in the 1920s, and deals with the four eccentric members of the Bliss family and their outlandish behaviour when they each invite a guest to spend the weekend. The self-centred behaviour of the hosts finally drives their guests to flee while the Blisses are so engaged in a family row that they do not notice their guests' furtive departure.
[edit] Productions
Following on from the success of his earlier play The Vortex, Hay Fever was an enormous hit on the West End stage and has been revived countless times around the world since then. It was the 1964 Royal National Theatre production of Hay Fever, starring Edith Evans and Maggie Smith with Coward himself directing, which sparked the revival of interest in his work toward the end of his life.
First production, Ambassadors Theatre, London, 1925
- Sorel Bliss - Helen Spencer
- Simon Bliss - Robert Andrews
- Clara - Minnie Rayner
- Judith Bliss - Marie Tempest
- David Bliss - W Graham Browne
- Sandy Tyrell - Patrick Susands
- Myra Arundel - Hilda Moore
- Richard Greatham - Athole Stewart
- Jackie Coryton - Ann Trevor
New York, Maxine Elliott's Theater, 1925
- Sorel Bliss - Frieda Inescort
- Simon Bliss - Gavin Muir
- Clara - Alice Belmore Cliffe
- Judith Bliss - Laura Hope Crews
- David Bliss - Harry Davenport
- Sandy Tyrell - Reginald Sheffield
- Myra Arundel - Phyllis Joyce
- Richard Greatham - George Thorpe
- Jackie Coryton - Margot Lester
New York, Avon Theater, 1931
- Sorel Bliss - Betty Linley
- Simon Bliss - Anthony Kemble Cooper
- Clara - Alice Belmore Cliffe
- Judith Bliss - Constance Collier
- David Bliss - Eric Cowley
- Sandy Tyrell - Terence Neill
- Myra Arundel - Julia Hoyt
- Richard Greatham - Edward Cooper
- Jackie Coryton - Valerie Cossart
A UK television production in 1960 featured Edith Evans as Judith Bliss and Maggie Smith as Myra Arundel. They later played these roles on stage under the author’s direction in the celebrated National Theatre revival in 1964 (see below). Other members of the television cast were Pamela Brown, George Devine, Paul Eddington and Richard Wattis.
London, National Theatre (Old Vic), 1964
- Sorel Bliss - Louise Purnell
- Simon Bliss - Derek Jacobi
- Clara - Barbara Hicks
- Judith Bliss - Edith Evans
- David Bliss - Anthony Nicholls
- Sandy Tyrell - Robert Stephens
- Myra Arundel - Maggie Smith
- Richard Greatham - Robert Lang
- Jackie Coryton - Lynn Redgrave
A further UK television production in 1968 had the following cast:
- Sorel Bliss - Lucy Fleming
- Simon Bliss - Ian McKellen
- Clara - Hazel Hughes
- Judith Bliss - Celia Johnson
- David Bliss - Dennis Price
- Sandy Tyrell - Richard Briers
- Myra Arundel - Anna Massey
- Richard Greatham - Charles Gray
- Jackie Coryton - Vickery Turner
New York, Helen Hayes Theater, 1970
- Sorel Bliss - Roberta Maxwell
- Simon Bliss - Sam Waterston
- Clara - Sudie Bond
- Judith Bliss - Shirley Booth
- David Bliss - John Williams
- Sandy Tyrell - John Tillinger
- Myra Arundel - Marian Mercer
- Richard Greatham - Michael McGuire
- Jackie Coryton - Carole Shelley
New York, Music Box Theater, 1985
- Sorel Bliss - Mia Dillon
- Simon Bliss - Robert Joy
- Clara - Barbara Bryne
- Judith Bliss - Rosemary Harris
- David Bliss - Roy Dotrice
- Sandy Tyrell - Campbell Scott
- Myra Arundel - Carolyn Seymour
- Richard Greatham - Charles Kimbrough
- Jackie Coryton - Deborah Rush
London, Albery Theatre, 1992
- Sorel Bliss - Abigail Cruttenden
- Simon Bliss - Nick Waring
- Clara - Maria Charles
- Judith Bliss - Maria Aitken
- David Bliss - John Standing
- Sandy Tyrell - Richard Garnett
- Myra Arundel - Carmen Du Sautoy
- Richard Greatham - Christopher Godwin
- Jackie Coryton - Sara Crowe
London, Savoy Theatre, 1999
- Sorel Bliss - Monica Dolan
- Simon Bliss - Stephen Mangan
- Clara - Anne White
- Judith Bliss - Geraldine McEwan
- David Bliss - Peter Blythe
- Sandy Tyrell - Scott Handy
- Myra Arundel - Sylvestra Le Touzel
- Richard Greatham - Malcolm Sinclair
- Jackie Coryton - Cathryn Bradshaw
London, Haymarket Theatre, 2006
- Sorel Bliss - Kim Medcalf
- Simon Bliss - Dan Stevens
- Clara - Lin Blakley
- Judith Bliss - Judi Dench
- David Bliss - Peter Bowles
- Sandy Tyrell - Charles Edwards
- Myra Arundel - Belinda Lang
- Richard Greatham - William Chubb
- Jackie Coryton - Olivia Darnley
A UK tour in early 2007
- Sorel Bliss - Madeleine Hutchins
- Simon Bliss - William Ellis
- Clara - Pamela Buchner
- Judith Bliss - Stephanie Beacham
- David Bliss - Christopher Timothy
- Sandy Tyrell - Christopher Naylor
- Myra Arundel - Sarah Berger
- Richard Greatham - Andrew Hall (actor)
- Jackie Coryton - Emily Pollet
City of London School, Beaufoy Theatre, Summer 2007
- Sorel Bliss - Ana Ikkos-Serrano
- Simon Bliss - Blake Emmett
- Clara - Susy Langsdale
- Judith Bliss - Dell Watson
- David Bliss - Samuel Ferguson
- Sandy Tyrell - Joel Gulhane
- Myra Arundel - Beth Price
- Richard Greatham - William Granger
- Jackie Coryton - Isabella Anderson
[edit] References
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