Star Quality (29th July-3rd August, 2025)
Star Quality by Noel Coward adapted by Christopher Luscombe
To be performed Tuesday 29th July to Saturday 2nd August, 2025
Star Quality was Coward’s ‘wickedly funny final play’, here adapted by actor/director Christopher Luscombe in 2001 and first performed at the Theatre Royal Windsor in August 2001 before transferring to the Apollo Theatre in October 2001.
Luscombe describes Star Quality as a ‘memorable tale of theatre folk behaving badly’; set in 1951, it takes us behind the scenes of the West End production of a new play Dark Heritage by innocent young playwright abroad, Bryan Snow. Coward paints a world of talent, treachery, and unbridled egos, and takes us on an unforgettable journey through increasingly explosive rehearsals to a triumphant opening night.
Cast
Lorraine Barrie: 40s/50s, leading lady in Dark Heritage
Obviously and unmistakably a star: over and above her natural good looks she has great vitality and an air of assurance acquired from years of indiscriminate adulation. Yet, despite the tantrums and traumas, she’s a bloody good actress.
Bryan Snow: late 20s, author of Dark Heritage
A sometimes bewildered, starry-eyed innocent, in thrall to Lorraine but not blind to her vices. He negotiates the pitfalls of the rehearsal room with some deftness (and with some help from Tony Orford) and isn’t afraid to answer back.
Ray Malcolm: director of Dark Heritage
Ruthless, dynamic and supremely confident, Ray takes no prisoners but he understands talent and knows how to deal with temperament. He can be disarmingly charming when he needs to be.
Toni Orford: Ray Malcolm’s personal assistant and partner
Sharp-eyed and sharper-tongued, Tony is perfectly at home in the waspish world of the theatre. He takes quite a shine to Bryan and acts as his sort of mentor.
Nora Mitchell: Miss Barrie’s maid-cum-dresser
Nora is a ‘laconic woman of a certain age’ who doesn’t seem that impressed by the world she inhabits. She’s seen it all and yet remains sardonically devoted to Lorraine.
Marion Blake: Stella in Dark Heritage
Marion often forgets where theatre ends and real life begins but isn’t very accomplished at either. One of Lorraine’s acolytes. Described by Nora as a ‘gasper who gets all breathless in the emotional bits, she overacts with huge enthusiasm, whether onstage or off.
Gerald Wentworth: the distinguished leading man in Dark Heritage
A seasoned pro who has acted with Lorraine before (they had a bit of a fling the first time they acted together), he understands the etiquette and the subtext of theatre life, and joins in the cut and thrust of the frequent tiffs with gusto.
Eric Larch: Aubrey in Dark Heritage
Very good-looking young actor, thrilled to be in his first West End play, starstruck by Lorraine.
This part does not have many lines but there is ample opportunity to devise some stage business to build it up. The implication is that he is having some sort of romantic relationship with Lorraine, certainly he follows her around like a puppy.
Other non-speaking parts
We also need performers to play the parts of the stage management team who do actually carry out scene changes (or members of the actual stage management team who don’t mind appearing on stage): a stage manager and two ASMs. These parts could be developed but remain largely non-speaking.
Although these characters are theatre folk and ‘larger than life’ they must remain at all times believable and real, no matter how outrageous and theatrical their behaviour is.
About the production
Directed by Sarah Ingram
To be performed at the ADC Theatre from Tuesday 29 July to Saturday 2 August at 7.45pm, matinee performance on Saturday 2 August at 2pm)
First readthrough: Thursday 8 May
Rehearsals thereafter every Monday and Thursday, starting Monday 12 May, 7.30-9.30 at the Salvation Army Centre on Mill Road. No rehearsal on Monday 26 May (Bank Holiday).
Production team
- Director: Sarah Ingram
- Set Design: Sarah Deboys
- Technical Director: Michael Darvell
- Lighting Design: Leah Ward
- DSM: James Ingram
- Costume Design: Tracy James
- Hair & Make-up: Hannah Curtis
- Poster Design: Jenny Scudamore
- Programme Design: Steve Doke
- Social Media: Lucy Woodcock
- Photography: Paul Ashley
- Props Manager: Rae Morgan
- ASM: Penelope Saunders
Cast list
- Lorraine Barrie: Jenny Scudamore
- Bryan Snow: Craig Allan
- Marion Blake: Izzy Rees
- Nora Mitchell: Madeline Harmer
- Ray Malcolm: Rory Lowings
- Toni Orford: Beth Hughes
- Gerald Wentworth: Phil Orvis
- Eric Larch: TBA
- Stage Crew 1: Matt McLaren
- Stage Crew 2: Rae Morgan
- Stage Crew 3: Paul Gaskell