INCOME FROM PLAYS.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18524, 2 January 1932, Page 14

INCOME FROM PLAYS.

£I2OO A WEEK AT 32. NOEL COWARD'S £ 40,000 PLAY. Noel Coward, at the age of 32. is making British stage history by the remarkable way In which his earnings from plays are mounting (says a London paper). His royalties as author and producer from a week's performances of "Cavalcade." which is playing to packed houses al Drury Lane, amounted lo well over £650. Tim volume of advance booking indicates that lie can look forward to a similar sum fo" many weeks. In addition, Mr Coward is drawing royalties from Iwo companies louring "Biller Sweet." from the provincial lours of “Private Lives," and from two tours of tli e latter play in Ihe United States. There are substantial royalties from the sheet and gramophone music of "Bitter Sweet" and others of his

recent stage compositions which are selling well in Britain, in the United States and on the Continent. Several of Mr Coward's earlier successes are also meeling with great success in Conical Europe.

'Faking all these sources of royalties into account, his present income from stage works may lie estimated al approximately £I2OO a week—ail amazing figure for a man of 32.

One Play, £40,000,

To realise the extent, of Mr Coward's fortune from the stage—and most of it lias been earned within fhe past four years—it must be recorded that his earnings to date from "Bitter Sweet" are estimated at about £40,000; that he earned £IO,OOO as author, producer and actor from the ten-weeks’ season of "Private Lives" in (lie- West End, and probably more than that for the New York season; and that he drew royalties for several months as author, lyricist, and composer of the revue, "Tills Year of Grace," produced at the London Pavilion in 1 928 by Mr G. B. Cochran, who has presented all Mr Coward's plays since that date. Film Rights.

Mr Coward set off recently for a six-months' holiday in Snulli America. On his return he will have to consider offers for Ihe film rights of ‘‘Cavalcade,” while it has already been announced that “Biller Sweet" is lo lie filmed—lwo more prospective sources of substantial royalties.