A review by capy
Design for Living by Noel Coward

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

Gilda: Yes, I hear voices. I hear my own voice louder than any of the others, and it's beginning to bore
me. Would you describe me as a super-egoist, Ernest?
Ernest: Yes, dear.
Gilda: Thinking of myself too much, and not enough of other people?
Ernest: No. Thinking of other people too much through yourself.
Gilda: How can anyone do otherwise?

a carefree 1930s romp about polyamory, which i imagine would be spicy at the time. the play is filled with good banter and witty (yet often pretentious) dialogue, it doesn't exactly explore the nuance of a throuple, but it celebrates the freedom to choose happiness first which i adored
 

If you were creative yourself you'd understand better. As it is, you know a lot. You know an awful lot. Your critical faculty is first rate. I'd rather have your opinion on paintings or books or plays than anyone else's I know. But you're liable to get sidetracked if you're not careful. Life is for living first and foremost. Even for artists, life is for living. Remember that.

i loved the lighthearted ending note but, above all else, i found the general tone of the play SO refreshing, the fact that being queer isn't a central issue or something to fit into what society was at the time — it ignores all of those implications (to a fault, yes!) and it sticks with "all vibes, no plot" which worked for me