Love Coward's biting wit and dialogue - enjoyed all three plays.

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Not quite British drawing room comedies; the people in this are just a bit too...off...for the aristocracy. They are more like the slightly dotty educated and/or creative souls. the main theme of these works is the one that has fascinated playwrights since the beginning - the battle of the sexes. Maneuvering through the mine field of relationships to arrive shell shocked and much the worse for wear on the other side, and make sure to include quite a few laughs on the way. The laughs are, though, a bit dated, and the characters as well. Blithe Spirit continues to wear well, and can easily be modernized, and I imagine the other two could also, and the subject remains somewhat universal - love, the lack of love, the loss of love, and the devastating, tragic regaining of love. A bit mannered, but still entertaining. ( )

Aristocratic life viewed with humor and cynicism.

Three witty, socially mocking plays from one of Britain's best modern playwrights.

Blithe Spirit is the tale of a man and his wife...and his dead first wife. When her ghost accidentally gets called up at a seance, they learn that two may be a quarelling company but three is definitely a chaotic crowd. The special effects and makeup shouldn't be too difficult for an experienced theater (even a small one), and the plto twists make this a crowd-pleasing piece.

Hay Fever is about a horribly eccentric and egocentric British family. Dad's a writer, Mom's an actress, son and daughter spend all their time being witty and jaded and having affairs. The play showcases the trouble that erupts when each of them invites someone down for the weekend, and the mundies get thrown into the midst of the craziness. The first scene is terribly slow, which might throw some people off, but after that the pace picks up tremendously.

Private Lives is about a couple who have a "Can't live with each other, can't live without each other" philosophy. They fight more than an Itchy and Scratchy cartoon, but even when they're married to other people, they can't stay apart. This has a ripple effect on the people surrounding them. Coward's at his most biting here about marriage, love, and public mores.

Blithe Spirit is a brilliant classic, hilariously funny yet at the same time sadly poignant.

Private Lives is not quite as memorable, but still very funny with some great dialogue, especially in Act I. The ending is a bit disappointing, though.

Hay Fever is far inferior to the other two plays. The dialogue somehow misses the mark and lacks sparkle. I quickly gave up on this. ( )