THE ability to make an audience think through its laughter is a rare and particular talent, which Nol Coward made apparently effortless.

His Design for Living is a comedy combining sex and love with lust in an explosive, hilarious mixture - a mnage a trois of characters each swearing undying devotion to the other before moving into bed with the next!

The play has moved to the Festival Theatre, Malvern from the beginning of this week - directed by Sir Peter Hall.

Janie Dee, Aden Gillet and Hugo Speer play a tricky trio who finally get their just deserts in Coward's play which involves a three dimensional dalliance of three free-spirited artists.

Widely considered so scandalous when the play first appeared in 1933, the authorities swiftly banned it.

Chic, compelling and flush with Coward's impeccable dialogue Design for Living became one of the master's greatest successes along with Private Lives, Present Laughter and Hay Fever.

Design for Living brings together three great actors from screen and stage.

Janie Dee is winner of an Olivier and five further awards for her West End and Broadway performances in Alan Ayckbourn's Comic Potential.

She also won an Olivier for the National Theatre production of Carousel.

Aden Gillet is well known on both the stage and television - fondly remembered as Jack Maddox in the popular BBC series House of Elliott.

He has recently starred recently in the National Theatre production of Noises Off and also received a Theatreworld Award for his role in An Inspector Calls on Broadway.

Hugo Speer is best known for the role of Guy in comedy smash hit The Full Monty.

He also played Richard in Hearts & Bones.

The play is on until this Saturday.