We sat down for an exclusive interview with Tristan Gemmill to discuss his performance as Esteban el Duco Santaguano in Noel Coward’s ‘The Marquise’.
This show is touring until 4th July 2026 – Tickets here
What drew you to the sharp humour and tangled relationships at the heart of Noël Coward’s The Marquise?
Whenever you get the chance to perform in a Noel Coward play you know you will always have a great script to work with and The Marquise is no exception. Coward was an actor himself and understood brilliantly how to bring the best out of performers with his signature verbal dexterity. The fact that it is one of his lesser known and performed pieces just added to the challenge for me.
Esteban el Duco Santaguano is such a flamboyant and intriguing character — how have you approached bringing him to life in this new production?
Esteban is such a wonderfully drawn character; boisterous, extroverted, a lover of life, a counterpoint to the introspective turmoil of the cloistered Raoul and the mysterious and alluring Eloise. Of course he is courtly and privileged and part of an aristocratic caste that has faded in significance these days but, as always with Coward, the character is driven by deeply recognisable, very human impulses that are still relevant and relatable and universal. My approach has been to try and flesh out his past history with both the other characters in this intriguing trio and find the sensitivity beneath the bombast. Although he is not someone who thinks too far beyond the moment, he cares deeply about Raoul and sees through the shallow construct of religiosity that he has cloaked himself in. There are also manners and conventions that inform how he carries himself, which has also been a fun area to explore.
This production gives The Marquise a vibrant 1930s twist — how does that era influence the energy and style of the show?
The genius of Coward is inseparable from the era in which he shone so brightly, and so it seemed a perfect fit to transpose the action away from its 18th Century setting. With remarkably few changes, the script settles effortlessly into 1935 in our version. The backdrop of our play is now that complex interwar period – a world recovering from the disaster of the Great War, through which both Esteban and Raoul would have served, a time of uncertainty about the future, of taking happiness where and when you can find it.
Noël Coward’s work is known for its wit and rhythm; what’s the challenge of delivering his dialogue while keeping it feeling fresh and natural?
Coward’s dialogue is orchestral in its precision. In fact the musical analogy holds up well – there is a pace, a tempo, a pitch to performing Coward unlike almost any other playwright. There are speeches but not soliloquys. This makes it a real team effort. When everyone is on song it’s like a symphony.
With such an experienced cast involved, what has the rehearsal process been like and what have you enjoyed most about working together?
This is a great company to be part of. Like I said in the previous answer, it just doesn’t work unless the whole team is singing from the same sheet. We have been very lucky with our team, both onstage and backstage.
Audiences may know you from television roles in Coronation Street and Casualty — what is it about returning to the stage that still excites you most?
When you’re doing TV, you’re filming out of sequence and you only ever feel like you’re in a tiny bit of the story. The thrill of being on stage means you tell the story from beginning to end every night and that is so exhilarating.