The Noble Pursuit
Comedy. 3m, 2f. 2 acts
A farcical, rapid-fire comedy set in the backbiting, back-scratching, backstabbing world of CanLit.
Rumours are rife and excitement is running high that Canada's pre-eminent man of letters, the august Noble Harmsworth, is on the verge of becoming the first Canadian winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. But if the Nobel poo-bahs want to immortalize him, why does his former friend and admirer Lyle Lemmerman want to kill him? A lovestruck acolyte, a nosy critic, a dyspeptic agent, a missing manuscript (and a missing author) all contribute to the twists, turns (and laughs) in this sophisticated, suspenseful comedy about literary fame, fortune and fakery.
Winner of the Dave Smith Prize in Playwriting, Ottawa Valley Book Festival, 1994
The Noble Pursuit premiered at the Thousand Islands Playhouse in 1991.
Note: A newly revised and updated version (2015) of the Noble Pursuit is now available.
A farcical, rapid-fire comedy set in the backbiting, back-scratching, backstabbing world of CanLit.
Rumours are rife and excitement is running high that Canada's pre-eminent man of letters, the august Noble Harmsworth, is on the verge of becoming the first Canadian winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. But if the Nobel poo-bahs want to immortalize him, why does his former friend and admirer Lyle Lemmerman want to kill him? A lovestruck acolyte, a nosy critic, a dyspeptic agent, a missing manuscript (and a missing author) all contribute to the twists, turns (and laughs) in this sophisticated, suspenseful comedy about literary fame, fortune and fakery.
Winner of the Dave Smith Prize in Playwriting, Ottawa Valley Book Festival, 1994
The Noble Pursuit premiered at the Thousand Islands Playhouse in 1991.
Note: A newly revised and updated version (2015) of the Noble Pursuit is now available.
Production History
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Ottawa Little Theatre
Ottawa, ON June 7-24, 2023 King's Town Players Kingston, ON March 18-28, 2015 Directed by Michael Catlin Theatre Arts Guild Halifax, NS February - March 2014 Directed by Frank MacLean Burl-Oak Theatre The Oakville Centre Oakville, ON April 26 - May 5, 2007 Directed by Peter Kunder Lighthouse Festival Theatre Port Dover, ON Directed by Simon Johnston; Designed by David Juby. Featuring Ron Gabriel, Peter McConnell, Julia Lenardon, Les Porter, Peter Messaline Gryphon Theatre Barrie, ON Directed by Karen Rickers; Designed by Barbara Devonshire Featuring Nicholas de Kruyff, Peter McConnell, Deena Baltman, Michael Rawley, Paul Zinkie |
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Premiere Production
Thousand Islands Playhouse Gananoque, ON Directed by Greg Wanless; Designed by Jack Boschman. Featuring John Boylan, Mo Bock, Karen Woolridge, Graham Harley, Barrie Baldero |
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Selected Reviews
"There's lots to laugh about in The Noble Pursuit ... What was really enjoyable, aside from Bowie's relentlessly witty script and some great performances, was the physical comedy, mistaken identities, near misses and the like which works seamlessly ... a lot of fun." ~ The Kingston Whig-Standard (2015)"
Fascinating ... a very funny comedy drama with a strong element of suspense ... Intelligent and witty, a sort of Canadian Noel Coward ... delightful." ~ CBC Radio
"A work of art ... a classic 'who-wrote-it', The Noble Pursuit succeeds nobly ... a bedazzling array of word games and clever insights, all achieved confidently without the slightest trace of self-consciousness by Bowie's crafstman's pen ... The witty farce takes a page from some of Britain's leading theatrical lights and rewrites it in a uniquely Canadian idiom." ~The Brockville Recorder and Times
"Clever, witty and acerbic, the The Noble Pursuit displays a ready facility for dialogue, characterization and the well-turned phrase ... It propels itself along with an almost breathless intensity as, onion-like, its many layers of deception are amusingly - often hilariously - revealed ... Mr. Bowie's play is a winner. It deserves success now and in many productions to come in the future." ~ Kingston Whig-Standard
"Brilliantly crafted ... with an interesting plot, suspense, pathos and above all, rapid-fire humor. Douglas Bowie's The Noble Pursuit strips away - hilariously - the layers of bluster and blarney on the CanLit scene ... This one's a hit." ~ Gananoque Reporter
"A resounding hit ... one of the rare events worth lining up for ... The play is witty, barbed and entertaining -- so humorous and satirical it would be another kind of joy just to read it ... The Noble Pursuit is a wonderful play and should not be missed. It's sensational from beginning to end." ~ The Express, Kingston
"A hilarious farce ... entertaining and a must see for people who want an inside look at the zany world of writers ... it will keep you in stitches until the end." ~ The Herald, Alliston
"The Noble Pursuit has comedy, romance, mystery and plenty of wit ... and deucedly clever craftsmanship by writer Bowie ... The near-capacity audience was rolling in the aisles with laughter." ~ Belleville Intelligencer
"Remarkable ... A knee-slapping farce and an imaginatively structured comedy, The Noble Pursuit won over its opening night audience." ~ Niagara Falls Review
"A mystery and a romantic comedy that takes audiences on a merry old chase, combining farce with lots of witty detours through the Canadian academic, literary and CBC scene." ~ Hamilton Spectator
"An intriguing plot, witty dialogue ... Full of clever lines and excellent characterizations, Bowie's whodunit farce is an amusing look at the world of the professional writer. But while it is light on the surface, there is also an underlying statement about the literary world." ~ Brantford Expositor
"A smartly-written, sophisticated farce... full of snappy repartee, twists of plot, and just the right amount of drama to create an entertaining evening." ~ Thousand Islands Sun
"The Noble Pursuit is a fast-paced, entertaining and hilarious play that will keep you laughing from beginning to end." ~ Barrie Advance
"A classic farce based on a witty premise ... a very funny play that rolls along at breakneck speed ... Sometimes brilliant jokes about CanLit personages give the play a crackling Canadian flavour." ~ The Packet & Times, Barrie
"If a good time is what you're after, look no further. The Noble Pursuit is a light farce, a zany tale, cleverly written by Douglas Bowie ... Fast-paced and full of action, the delightful, witty dialogue, full of Canadian quips, carries the story from beginning to end with lightning speed." ~ Barrie Examiner
Fascinating ... a very funny comedy drama with a strong element of suspense ... Intelligent and witty, a sort of Canadian Noel Coward ... delightful." ~ CBC Radio
"A work of art ... a classic 'who-wrote-it', The Noble Pursuit succeeds nobly ... a bedazzling array of word games and clever insights, all achieved confidently without the slightest trace of self-consciousness by Bowie's crafstman's pen ... The witty farce takes a page from some of Britain's leading theatrical lights and rewrites it in a uniquely Canadian idiom." ~The Brockville Recorder and Times
"Clever, witty and acerbic, the The Noble Pursuit displays a ready facility for dialogue, characterization and the well-turned phrase ... It propels itself along with an almost breathless intensity as, onion-like, its many layers of deception are amusingly - often hilariously - revealed ... Mr. Bowie's play is a winner. It deserves success now and in many productions to come in the future." ~ Kingston Whig-Standard
"Brilliantly crafted ... with an interesting plot, suspense, pathos and above all, rapid-fire humor. Douglas Bowie's The Noble Pursuit strips away - hilariously - the layers of bluster and blarney on the CanLit scene ... This one's a hit." ~ Gananoque Reporter
"A resounding hit ... one of the rare events worth lining up for ... The play is witty, barbed and entertaining -- so humorous and satirical it would be another kind of joy just to read it ... The Noble Pursuit is a wonderful play and should not be missed. It's sensational from beginning to end." ~ The Express, Kingston
"A hilarious farce ... entertaining and a must see for people who want an inside look at the zany world of writers ... it will keep you in stitches until the end." ~ The Herald, Alliston
"The Noble Pursuit has comedy, romance, mystery and plenty of wit ... and deucedly clever craftsmanship by writer Bowie ... The near-capacity audience was rolling in the aisles with laughter." ~ Belleville Intelligencer
"Remarkable ... A knee-slapping farce and an imaginatively structured comedy, The Noble Pursuit won over its opening night audience." ~ Niagara Falls Review
"A mystery and a romantic comedy that takes audiences on a merry old chase, combining farce with lots of witty detours through the Canadian academic, literary and CBC scene." ~ Hamilton Spectator
"An intriguing plot, witty dialogue ... Full of clever lines and excellent characterizations, Bowie's whodunit farce is an amusing look at the world of the professional writer. But while it is light on the surface, there is also an underlying statement about the literary world." ~ Brantford Expositor
"A smartly-written, sophisticated farce... full of snappy repartee, twists of plot, and just the right amount of drama to create an entertaining evening." ~ Thousand Islands Sun
"The Noble Pursuit is a fast-paced, entertaining and hilarious play that will keep you laughing from beginning to end." ~ Barrie Advance
"A classic farce based on a witty premise ... a very funny play that rolls along at breakneck speed ... Sometimes brilliant jokes about CanLit personages give the play a crackling Canadian flavour." ~ The Packet & Times, Barrie
"If a good time is what you're after, look no further. The Noble Pursuit is a light farce, a zany tale, cleverly written by Douglas Bowie ... Fast-paced and full of action, the delightful, witty dialogue, full of Canadian quips, carries the story from beginning to end with lightning speed." ~ Barrie Examiner