Nearly a century after his heyday, prolific British playwright Noël Coward is enjoying a revival. Several Coward comedies have graced Bay Area stages recently. The latest is “Present Laughter,” running through Feb. 16 at the Novato Theater Company.

David Abrams stars as Garry Essendine, a flamboyant and self-involved stage idol about to embark on a tour of Africa. He’s surrounded by a cadre of helpers — his loyal, too-understanding wife Liz (Kathryn Schott), his unflappable secretary Monica Reed (Heather Shepardson), his irritable housekeeper Miss Erikson (Shirley Nilsen Hall) and his tolerant butler Fred (Jamie Montellato).

He’s also got an entourage of pests, sycophants and ambitious lovers: Daphne Stillington (Tina Traboulsi), Jo Lyppiatt (Nic Moore), Helen Lyppiatt (Ashley Kennedy), Roland Maule (Thomas Peterson) and Morris Dixon (Kevin Allen) — all of whom want a piece of his flesh, a night in the sack, his artistic approval or a chance to sail away with him and share a moment in the spotlight.

It’s all too much for one tormented character, whom we meet in a drunken tryst with Daphne, half his age and wearing a fairy costume. Traboulsi is one of those inherently amusing performers who can provoke laughs simply standing there. She’s “lost her latch key,” and begs a night of indulgence with Garry, which he gladly provides.

The “lost key” becomes a running gambit with others courting Garry’s favors, as he scrambles to keep his wits about him while hiding one lover from the next and pontificating like a Shakespearean blowhard about his personal misery. Abrams is a fantastically talented actor and a great director — no Marin theater fan should skip a chance to see him in action. He’s really quite extraordinary.

“Present Laughter” director Carl Jordan has taken some liberties with Coward’s original, cutting some scenes and updating others. The effort to bring the script into the 21st century is somewhat successful — it’s got modern electronics, a cordless telephone, an Amazon package delivery and interstitial pop music from recent decades, but Garry and his entourage are still going to Africa by ship.

The whole production is a high-energy madcap slamming door farce, other than a moment when the pace sags at the close of the first act — a darkly illuminated gay scene with Garry and Jo. Gayness has been intrinsic to the arts since the dawn of time, but this twist on a key scene undoubtedly wasn’t part of Coward’s original. It simply would not have flown 80 or 90 years ago.

The show resumes its frantic pace on an efficient Bill Weinberg set. Nowhere does it get more frantic than would-be playwright Roland Maule’s last visit to Garry’s apartment. Cringing, shrieking and kicking at everything in sight, Thomas Peterson chews and spits out a warehouse of scenery in a few brief moments. His castmates are generally more subdued — and more subtle, in particular Traboulsi, Shepardson and Schott.

Abrams’ astounding commitment to character and delivery carries this production. Garry’s ego casts a shadow the size of Jupiter, and everyone wants to bask in it. It’s hell being a superstar — then and now.

Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact him at barry.m.willis@gmail.com.