Star Quality: Aspects of Noel Coward

In today's celebrity-crazed world, co-called "Stars" are ten-a-penny. Thankfully, the National Theatre has taken the time to put together an exhibition to celebrate the life and works of a man who helped define the word. Noel Coward (left) is remembered here for his talents as (deep breath) a composer, songwriter, script writer, cabaret actor, painter and film star.

The exhibition also explores Coward's legendary charisma, paying particular attention to his life-long friendship with Laurence Olivier and theatre historians Raymond Mander and Joe Mitchenson. Amongst a host of letters, photographs and other artefacts is an iconic silk dressing gown given as a gift to Mitchenson; the first time ever it has appeared on public display.

If you feel like awakening your inner lounge lizard, why not pop down to the Southbank? 

The exhibition opens on the 22^nd of February and runs through to the 29^th March, it is to be found on the Olivier Exhibition level and is open most days from 9.30am-11.00pm.

How to get there

Rail - Waterloo, Waterloo East or walk over the Hungerford Bridge from Charing Cross.

Underground - The closest tube stations are Waterloo (on the Northern, Bakerloo & Jubilee lines), Southwark (on the Jubilee line) or walk over the Hungerford Bridge from Embankment (on the Northern, Bakerloo, District and Circle lines).

Buses - All the following buses stop on Waterloo Bridge and you can take the steps down to Southbank on either side of the bridge or use the pavements that slope down away from the river and then double back to take you to Upper Ground, which runs behind the Southbank Centre: 1, 4, 26, 59, 68, 76, 139, 168, 171, 172, 176, 188, 243, 341, 521, X68, Riverside Bus (RV1 - which also stops on Upper Ground which runs by the back of the Southbank Centre). 77 (Upper Ground near the Festival Hall), 211 & 507 (Waterloo Road near the main station), 381 (Stamford Street). 45, 63 & 100 all stop at the southern end of Blackfriars Bridge, and there is a 10 minute walk along the riverside to the Southbank Centre.