Relative Values
Noël Coward
A comedy of manners set in the early 1950s that explores the clash between the British aristocracy and the burgeoning glamour of Hollywood. Felicity the Countess of Marshwood is dismayed to learn that her son Nigel intends to marry a Hollywood film star. The situation is complicated when it is revealed that the star is actually the sister of the family's loyal maid. The play is a witty examination of class structures and the changing social landscape of post-war Britain.
Felicity (Countess of Marshwood): The clever matriarch. Nigel: Her son. Miranda Frayle: The Hollywood actress with a hidden working-class past.
First Performance: 1951, at Savoy Theatre, London
A significant hit; seen as a successful return to Coward's classic style after several less successful experiments.
Original Actors: Gladys Cooper, Judy Campbell