The Rat Trap
Encyclopedia
The Rat Trap is a four act drama by Noel Coward
, his 'first really serious attempt at psychological conflict,' written when he was only 18.
In his 1937 memoirs, Present Indicative, he admits that as 'a whole it was immature, but it was much steadier than anything I had done hitherto...when I had finished it, I felt, for the first time with genuine conviction, that I could really write plays.'
It was first performed on 18 October, 1926, for 12 performances at the Everyman Theatre, Hampstead, in London, presented by George Carr (who also directed), Raymond Massey
(who also played a supporting role), and Allan Wade
. The production starred Robert Harris as Keld (an aspiring young playwright) and Joyce Kennedy as Sheila (a novelist, Keld's fiancée in Act I, his wife in the three subsequent acts). Strong support was given by Adrienne Allen as Ruby (an ambitious musical comedy actress), Mary Robson as Olive (Sheila's flatmate) and Clare Greet
as Burrage (the laconic cook-housekeeper).
Coward later wrote: 'My first serious play, The Rat Trap, was produced at the Everyman Theatre while I was on the Olympic bound for New York, and so I never saw it...in spite of the effulgence of the cast, the play fizzled out at the end of its regulation two weeks. I was not particularly depressed about this; The Rat Trap was a dead love.'
The play was published in London by Ernest Benn
in 1924 in volume 13 of the Contemporary British Dramatists series, and was republished by Heinemann in 1934 in Coward's Play Parade, Volume III. In his introduction Coward writes: 'It is not without merit. There is some excruciatingly sophisticated dialogue in the first act of which, at the time, I was inordinately proud. From the point of view of construction, it is not very good, except for the two principal quarrel scenes. The last act is an inconclusive shambles and is based on the sentimental and inaccurate assumption that the warring egos of the man and wife will simmer down into domestic bliss merely because the wife is about to have a dear little baby. I suppose I was sincere about this at the time, but I find it very hard to believe. I think it will only be interesting as a play to ardent students of my work, of which I hope there are several. I do not believe it has ever been done since its original production, even by amateurs, which is a pity, as I would love to see it.'
To date, the first and only professional revival of the play was presented at the Finborough Theatre
, a London fringe venue in Fulham SW10, as part of its Forgotten Voices Season 2006, from 28 November to 23 December, 2006, in a production directed by Tim Luscombe, which received universally good press notices. Gregory Finnegan
and Catherine Hammilton played the leading roles, with veteran actress Heather Chasen
giving a droll eye-catching performance as Burrage.
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy...
, his 'first really serious attempt at psychological conflict,' written when he was only 18.
In his 1937 memoirs, Present Indicative, he admits that as 'a whole it was immature, but it was much steadier than anything I had done hitherto...when I had finished it, I felt, for the first time with genuine conviction, that I could really write plays.'
It was first performed on 18 October, 1926, for 12 performances at the Everyman Theatre, Hampstead, in London, presented by George Carr (who also directed), Raymond Massey
Raymond Massey
Raymond Hart Massey was a Canadian/American actor.-Early life:Massey was born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of Anna , who was born in Illinois, and Chester Daniel Massey, the wealthy owner of the Massey-Ferguson Tractor Company. Massey's family could trace their ancestry back to the American...
(who also played a supporting role), and Allan Wade
Allan Wade
-Early life:Allan Wade was the son of the Rev. Stephen Wade of Boscastle in Cornwall and was educated at Blundell's School in Tiverton. In 1904 be went on the stage as a member of the F. R...
. The production starred Robert Harris as Keld (an aspiring young playwright) and Joyce Kennedy as Sheila (a novelist, Keld's fiancée in Act I, his wife in the three subsequent acts). Strong support was given by Adrienne Allen as Ruby (an ambitious musical comedy actress), Mary Robson as Olive (Sheila's flatmate) and Clare Greet
Clare Greet
Clare Greet was an English film actress. She appeared in 26 films between 1921 and 1939, including six films directed by Alfred Hitchcock.She was born in England and died in London....
as Burrage (the laconic cook-housekeeper).
Coward later wrote: 'My first serious play, The Rat Trap, was produced at the Everyman Theatre while I was on the Olympic bound for New York, and so I never saw it...in spite of the effulgence of the cast, the play fizzled out at the end of its regulation two weeks. I was not particularly depressed about this; The Rat Trap was a dead love.'
The play was published in London by Ernest Benn
Ernest Benn
Sir Ernest John Pickstone Benn, 2nd Baronet was a British publisher, writer and political publicist. His father, John Benn, was a politician, who had been made a baronet in 1914. He was an uncle of the Labour politician Tony Benn.-Biography:Benn was born in Oxted, Surrey...
in 1924 in volume 13 of the Contemporary British Dramatists series, and was republished by Heinemann in 1934 in Coward's Play Parade, Volume III. In his introduction Coward writes: 'It is not without merit. There is some excruciatingly sophisticated dialogue in the first act of which, at the time, I was inordinately proud. From the point of view of construction, it is not very good, except for the two principal quarrel scenes. The last act is an inconclusive shambles and is based on the sentimental and inaccurate assumption that the warring egos of the man and wife will simmer down into domestic bliss merely because the wife is about to have a dear little baby. I suppose I was sincere about this at the time, but I find it very hard to believe. I think it will only be interesting as a play to ardent students of my work, of which I hope there are several. I do not believe it has ever been done since its original production, even by amateurs, which is a pity, as I would love to see it.'
To date, the first and only professional revival of the play was presented at the Finborough Theatre
Finborough Theatre
The Finborough Theatre is a fifty seat theatre in the Earls Court area of London, United Kingdom , which presents new British writing, UK and premieres of new plays, primarily from the English speaking world including North America, Canada, Scotland and Ireland, music theatre, and rarely seen...
, a London fringe venue in Fulham SW10, as part of its Forgotten Voices Season 2006, from 28 November to 23 December, 2006, in a production directed by Tim Luscombe, which received universally good press notices. Gregory Finnegan
Gregory Finnegan
Gregory Finnegan is a British actor working in theatre, television and film. He studied at The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art...
and Catherine Hammilton played the leading roles, with veteran actress Heather Chasen
Heather Chasen
Heather Jean Chasen is a Singapore-born English actress. Her best known roles are playing Valerie Pollard in the ITV soap opera Crossroads and voicing many roles in BBC Radio 2's The Navy Lark...
giving a droll eye-catching performance as Burrage.
External links
- An archived review of the Finborough revival can be found at the British Theatre Guide website.
- Michael BillingtonMichael Billington (critic)Michael Keith Billington is a British author and arts critic. Drama critic of The Guardian since October 1971, he is "Britain's longest-serving theatre critic" and the author of biographical and critical studies relating to British theatre and the arts; most notably, he is the authorised...
's review for The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
.