NOEL Coward described his final masterpiece, A Song at Twilight, somewhat surprisingly as a comedy.

I have to tell you that it’s no such thing. I found it one of the saddest 20th century dramas that I have ever seen.

Coward’s last play, penned in 1965, is the story of an old writer, Sir Hugo Latymer, who is forced to face up to the price of concealing his homosexuality from his devoted admirers.

Although it can be seen as autobiographical, Coward claimed it was inspired by reading a memoir of his great contemporary Somerset Maugham.

The play centres on the return of the writer’s female lover of forty years ago, Carlotta Gray, who has old love letters as evidence of his secret life.

Regarded by many as one of Noel Coward’s finer plays, Song at Twilight was originally performed as part of the triple bill Suite in Three Keys in 1966.

In this new sparkling new production by Theatre Royal Bath Productions, Sir Hugo is played by Simon Callow, Carlotta by Jane Asher, and Sir Hugo’s long-suffering wife, Hilde by Jessica Turner. Ash Rizi plays their waiter, Felix.

Directed by Stephen Unwin, the play is full of Coward’s acerbic wit and observations on the challenges of growing old. There is also social comment on the 1960s statutes which, at that point, ruled homosexual relationships as being illegal.

Certainly, the first act is harder work than the second and the audience needs to stick with it to reach the final scene where Sir Hugo faces up to life’s deeper truths.

A Song at Twilight has opened at the Theatre Royal Bath prior to a UK tour. Do go and see it if you can.

Tickets are available from the Theatre Royal box office on 01225 448844, or at www.theatreroyal.org.uk

John Baker