The Noel Coward BBC Radio Drama Collection cover art

The Noel Coward BBC Radio Drama Collection

Seven BBC Radio Full-cast Productions

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Try for £0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

The Noel Coward BBC Radio Drama Collection

By: Noel Coward
Narrated by: Alex Jennings, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie, full cast, Harriet Walters, Helena Bonham-Carter, Judi Dench, Roger Allam
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

Seven BBC radio full-cast productions of Noël Coward’s classic plays – plus bonus material including a profile of Coward and extracts from his diaries

Renowned for his wit, style and sophistication, Noël Coward was one of the greatest playwrights of the twentieth century. His plays, set in the glittering world of high society in which he lived, are much admired and have remained in the popular theatre repertoire to this day.

This collection brings together the very best radio adaptations of Coward’s works, encompassing sparkling comedies of manners Private Lives and Hay Fever, farcical ghost story Blithe Spirit, and daring ménage à trois drama Design for Living. Here, too, is his controversial first hit The Vortex; the poignant Still Life (the inspiration for the film Brief Encounter); and the semi-autobiographical Present Laughter.

Among the star-studded cast are Helena Bonham-Carter, Bill Nighy, Judi Dench, Celia Imrie, Roger Allam, Harriet Walter, Paul Rhys, Stephanie Cole and Paul Scofield.

Also included is a BBC World Service profile of Noël Coward, comprising interviews, musical extracts and archive clips; and the BBC Radio 4 programme ‘From His Diaries’, featuring a selection of passages from Coward’s journal read by Simon Cadell.

©2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Drama & Plays European Funny Modern Poetry Collection
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

Father Paolo Baldi Mysteries cover art
Detective cover art
The Oscar Wilde BBC Radio Drama Collection cover art
Paul Temple: The Complete Radio Collection: Volume One cover art
Death at the Auction cover art
The Wintringham Mystery cover art
The Complete George Smiley Radio Dramas cover art
Home Front: The Complete BBC Radio Collection, Volume 1 cover art
The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah cover art
George Bernard Shaw cover art
The Plays of J. B. Priestley cover art
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue cover art
The Toff cover art
Barbara Pym: A BBC Radio Drama Collection cover art
Brief Encounter (Classic Radio Theatre) cover art
Brother Cadfael cover art

What listeners say about The Noel Coward BBC Radio Drama Collection

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    86
  • 4 Stars
    28
  • 3 Stars
    11
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    84
  • 4 Stars
    20
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    4
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    77
  • 4 Stars
    22
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful

I have thoroughly enjoyed these plays of Noel Coward, I know I will listen to them often

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Delicious writing.

Noel Coward delivers brilliant writing and delicious use of the English language. The excellent cast bring the dialogue to life in these classic plays and comedies. The profile and diaries add insights into his career, personal life, and inner thoughts. I sense he was a generous but complex man, who could be both charming and cutting at the same time. One of the greats..

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful cast and great plays

The cast really bring the plots to life you feel like your in the room with them.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant....

This is sublime - as an actor it must be so much fun bringing Noel Coward to life.

Would have loved to have seen Burton and Taylor do Private Lives....

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great plays, poor technical production

I struggled to hear this because the sound level was so low.. Every time a lorry went past I had to rewind and catch up. I have never had this before and it doesn`t happen with other books etc.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Genius

The best of Noel Coward, warm, sharp and witty with enormous amounts of humour and twists that leave you turning around after them.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderfully witty and entertaining plays

Loved the plays, especially private lives and blithe spirit. The narration of this collection of plays were very entertaining. I especially enjoyed the narration of Noel’s diaries and reflections from those who knew him best.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic

These are just brilliant. I listen over and over. Fabulous cast, excellent plays (of course) - these are very good listens and can be re-played as often as you like, Don't need to be surprised by shock endings. So entertaining. Definitely something I would go to the theatre to watch once lockdown is over, but it also recalls previous theatre evenings, sigh!
Fabulous.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

First rate

An excellent selection of plays, all brilliantly acted. This was thoroughly enjoyable and the diary extracts were a fascinating addition.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Personally, I thought it was terrific

As a resource for improving and refining the language one uses on a daily basis, I thought these plays were wonderful. They won't keep you on the edge of your seat, but as far as artistic expression in the English language goes, they are delightful.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful