Coward in the theater (4)
I believe the answer is:
noel
'coward in the theater' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for noel that I've seen before include "Sir - - Coward" , "- - Coward, playwright" , "Yuletide" , "Coward who wrote and acted, d. 1973" , "Girl - boy - Christmas" .)