In this thought-provoking collection of essays and interviews, theatrical scholars, playwrights, actors and directors consider Noel Coward's contribution to modern British theatre. They explore the importance of gender, class and nation in the shaping of his work, and the singular challenges his plays present to actors and audiences in the year 2000. Contributors include playwright David Edgar, critic Michael Coveney, biographer Philip Hoare, and scholar Peter Holland.