A Hasty Kind of Genius: Noël Coward's Hay Fever

Noël Coward's Hay Fever is a somewhat overlooked jewel of the Coward canon, even as it illustrates why Coward the writer has defied early predictions and remained a vital cultural figure. Written with great haste in 1925, the play examines post-war edginess about interpersonal trust and the games people play to protect themselves. Coward drew, in part, upon the eccentricities of renowned actress Laurette Taylor to fashion his central character Judith Bliss and, through her, reveals many of his own insecurities about trusting others. The result is a play not only of rapid-fire machinations but also of brittle but telling characterizations that have not lost their timeliness.