One of the most versatile talents in the history of the theatre, Noel Coward was a composer, lyricist, playwright, singer, actor, and producer. In the years between the two world wars, his plays and musical comedies gave the British stage an air of sophistication that now seems to typify the period.
Coward was born in in Teddington, London. Although the family's financial circumstances were modest, Noel's parents enjoyed playing music, and they encouraged the boy's talent...