Semi-Monde

Synopsis

The first single edition of Noël Coward's most controversial play.

"Only

in Semi-Monde does Coward find a successful metaphor for the sexual

complications that lie behind his posturing.

Semi-Monde is easily the

most visually daring of his comedies, and the most intellectually

startling ... made up of sexually mischievous tableaux

vivants and gets much nearer the homosexual knuckle than Coward's

public image allowed."

- (John Lahr, London Review of Books)

Written

in 1926 and originally entitled Ritz Bar, Semi-Monde was considered too

daring for its time: "its production in London or New York seemed

unlikely as some of the characters, owing to lightly suggested

abnormalities, would certainly be deleted by the censor" (Noël Coward,

Present Indicative).

The play finally received its public premiere only

after Coward's death, at the Citizen's Theatre, Glasgow, in September

1977.