After a succesful run last year in Noel Coward’s A Song at Twilight at Richmond Theatre, Belinda Lang is returning to the venue to star in and direct a new production of the playwright’s Present Laughter. She spoke to Will Gore about her love of Coward.

What drew you to Present Laughter?

It is a play I’ve always loved and I was in it years ago. It is full of life, is very funny and it has 11 wonderful characters in it.

The play is set in the world of theatre – is it one you recognise?

Very much so – I recognise it completely. I was brought up in the theatre and I suppose that is one of the reasons why I like the play so much. It is a farce so there are some things that wouldn’t happen, even in an actor’s everyday life, but we see the main character, Gary Essendine, at a heightened moment in his life, when he is about to tour Africa.

Tell us about your character.

I play Monica, Essendine’s long-suffering secretary, and they have a marvellous relationship because they have been together for so long.

What do you love about Coward’s play.

The craft of the storytelling and the language is so pleasing. They are deep in an unpedantic way and he has a great grasp of how humans tick. It is also very nice to perform something that is fundamentally a very good play, that the audience are bound to enjoy.

What is the key to capturing the spirit of Coward?

It is about relishing the brilliant dialogue without making it sound unnatural, so it doesn’t come across as a period piece.

How are you coping with acting and directing?

It’s inconvenient but that is all it is. I love playing Monica and I love directing the play.

Present Laughter, Richmond Theatre, The Green, Richmond, January 18-23. Visit ambassadortickets.com