February - The Noël Coward Society

A MAGAZINE ABOUT THE LIFE AND WORK OF SIR NOËL COWARD
FEBRUARY 2011
Alison Steadmen in
BLITHE SPIRIT
Ruthie Henshall stars alongside Alison
Steadman in Noël Coward's ghostdriven comedy, directed by Thea
Sharrock. Apollo, London. 2 March to
18 Jun. Join us on May 12 to see this.
THIS HAPPY BREED
Presented by The Peter Hall Company
2011. Directed by Stephen Unwin
Theatre Royal, Bath • Thursday 7th
July – Saturday 13th August
COWARDY CUSTARD
On tour in the UK. Produced by
Evergreen Theatrical Productions Ltd
and Lee Menzies starring Kit and the
Widow and Dillie Keane.
NCS Event offer - Dinner & wine, show,
post-show drink and meet the cast.
PRODUCED AND PUBLISHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL NOËL COWARD SOCIETY
EDITORIAL
lthough the rain and snow came in droves, fortunately so did those who
attended the UK and US celebrations around the birthday of Sir Noël
Coward, enjoying wonderfully relaxed and entertaining days in the
company of Siân Phillips, Rodney Bewes, Victor Garber, Steve Ross,
Kevin Dozier and Joyce Breach but more in prose and photographs later.
This particular edition of Home Chat is moving gingerly towards our new
format and emphasis, designed to provide the reader with insights into our hero
whilst heralding new professional and amateur events of note and our own plans
for the year.
In common with many organisations run by a small group of dedicated
volunteers we will tend to highlight ‘what’s on’ rather than trying to arrange an
event for every occasion. We do however have plans for the year and to ensure
that you are aware of them well before they happen, we will only include events
in the body of the magazine that lie well ahead of its publication date. Events
that are closer to the deadline will be seen on our website (noëlcoward.net) or
on fliers targetted to all members or those nearest to the event.
In the US and Canada Ken Starrett manages our affairs with the help and
support of Kathy Williams on the West Coast. In Australia Kerry Hailstone is
our representative and in France Hélène Catsiapis.
We will begin to operate under the terms of our new constitution agreed at
the AGM of the Society held at The Noël Coward Theatre in December 2010.
This sets out a new size for the committee, and a move from oversight by the
Noël Coward Foundation to that by Noël Coward Limited. Noël Coward
Limited is a non profit-making company that has Robert Gardiner, a trustee of
the Noël Coward Foundation, as Chairman with directors John Knowles,
Stephen Greenman and Denys Robinson. The Company Secretary is Graham
Martin of Blinkhorn’s Business and Taxation Advisers.
A first amendment to the New Constitution is being trialled this year that
allows for those who organise the Society’s activities to perform at their best.
John Knowles becomes the General Manager taking on similar duties to that of
secretary and chairing the organising committee meetings. Stephen Greenman is
responsible for all financial and resource matters and Denys Robinson becomes
our events organiser. In addition Stephen Duckham continues as our
membership secretary and Michael Wheatley-Ward as our media manager.
We hope you enjoy this start of a new life for our publication made possible
by the encouragement of the Estate of the late Sir Noël Coward and a generous
annual grant from The Noël Coward Foundation.
John Knowles
Home Chat is a magazine produced by
The Noël Coward Society, funded through the
generosity of The Noël Coward Foundation
Noël Coward Ltd.
Chairman: Robert Gardiner
Directors: Denys Robinson, Stephen Greenman
and John Knowles
Company Secretary: Graham Martin
The Noël Coward Society:
President: HRH The Duke of Kent
Vice Presidents: Barry Day OBE, Stephen Fry,
Tammy Grimes, Penelope Keith CBE
Organising Committee:
General Manager: John H. Knowles
Finance and Resources: Stephen Greenman
Events Organiser: Denys Robinson
Membership: Stephen Duckham
Media: Michael Wheatley-ward
North American Director: Ken Starrett
US West Coast Liaison: Kathy Williams
NCS in Australia: Kerry Hailstone
NCS in France: Hélène Catsiapis
Home Chat:
Letters to: John Knowles
US NCS news: Ken Starrett.
Editor: John H. Knowles.
Publication: Stephen Greenman
Music correspondent: Dominic Vlasto.
Proofing: Kathy Williams and Ken Starrett.
Details of productions and events are as received,
with our thanks, from:
Samuel French (Play Publishers and Author’s
Representatives), Ken Starrett (US), Alan
Brodie Representation (Professional
Productions), NCS members and theatre
companies.
NCS website: www.noëlcoward.net
Unless otherwise stated all images and text are
copyright to NC Aventales AG
See Key Addresses on Page 4 for contact
details for the NCS officers.
FOR YOUR DIARY • PRODUCTIONS AND EVENTS IN SHORT
BLITHE SPIRIT NCS Event • Matinée on Thursday May 12 • £29.50.
The Society is arranging a theatre outing to see this outstanding revival directed by Thea Sharrock and starring Alison
Steadman, Hermione Norris, Ruthie Henshall and Robert Bathurst. Runs from March 2 to 18 June 2011
COWARDY CUSTARD NCS Event • Saturday April 9 • £49.50.
First professional revival of this classic revue with a showing at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford for NCS members
arranged by NCS members Lori Winch-Johnson and Richard Stirling (of Evergreen Theatrical Productions Ltd.) Saturday April
9, 2011 Price £49.50 includes two-course dinner & wine, ticket for the show, post-show drink and a meeting with the cast!
THIS HAPPY BREED
Presented by The Peter Hall Company 2011. Directed by Stephen Unwin Theatre Royal, Bath • Thursday 7th July – Saturday
13th August
DEAUVILLE
NCS Event • Friday 1 to Sunday 3 July • from £283.
1st to 3rd July • Weekend visit for NCS members by Eurostar taking in a short stop in Paris then by coach to Deauville with a
programme that includes a Mayoral cocktail reception, banquet at the luxurious Royal Hotel, where Noël stayed, lunch in
Honfleur. With a dedicated coach throughout the trip. Organised by Hélène Catsiapis who will act as our guide.
CAMBRIDGE CONFERENCE
NCS Event • Details to follow.
More to come on our planned conference at Downing College, Cambridge • 16 - 18 September, 2011
2
CALENDAR
Details of planned events for this year
he planned events for this year take on something of a regional
flavour as we make out best attempt to offer events outside of
London. But first... Members in the South East will have
already been contacted about an event at RADA in midFebruary where The Young Idea is being performed by students
followed by refreshments and a short cabaret of Coward songs.
BLITHE SPIRIT
Thursday May 12, 2011
Matinée performance
Apollo Theatre
Shaftesbury Avenue, London
The Society has 40 seats reserved for Thursday 12th May 2011 at
2:30 pm. All seats are in the stalls near the front, with the exception
of a row of seats mid way back with extra leg room. Seats are
£29.50 each. This outstanding revival is directed by Thea Sharrock
and stars Alison Steadman, Hermione Norris, Ruthie Henshall and
Robert Bathurst. Members are able to lunch at many nearby
eateries. The Apollo Theatre is in Shaftesbury Avenue. The nearest
tube station is Piccadilly Circus (north side exit). Complete our
booking form and return to Stephen Greenman.
COWARDY CUSTARD
Saturday April 9, 2011
Evening performance,
In April we are offering an evening of Cowardy Custard at the
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford featuring Kit and The Widow
and Dillie Keane. This show is on tour during the Spring. Our
thanks to NCS members Lori Winch-Johnson and Richard Stirling
of Evergreen Theatrical Productions for arranging an event package
for April 9, 2011. Details are shown on the poster here and on the
attached booking form. The booking form should be completed and
sent to Stephen Greenman.
Lori has also provided the following information:
To travel to Guildford from London's Waterloo, members should
get the Portsmouth Harbour train which has fewer stops, usually
just Woking. There is usually a train at about 5.15pm which will get
you there for 6pm and it is a ten minutes walk to the theatre or there
are taxis from outside the station. There are trains returning from
Guildford up to 11.30pm
There is car parking close to the theatre, or a good Travel Inn
available, or even the charming boutique hotel in Guildford High
Street called The Angel Hotel.
The production will have curtain down at about 10.15pm with
cast joining us at 10.30pm.
The event starts at 6.00pm and costs £49.50 and includes a
Two-course Dinner (with vegetarian option) with wine and coffee,
a top price ticket for the show, post-show drink and a chance to
meet the cast. Carriages at 10.40pm.
NOËL IN DEAUVILLE
Friday 1 - Sunday 3 July, 2011
The Society is planning a visit to Deauville in France, the home of
The Royal-Barrière Hotel where Noël often stayed and is thought to
have provided the origination of his ideas for the setting of Private
3
Lives (later of course translated to the South of France in the
play). At this stage the arrangements and outline programme
are as follows:
You can choose which hotel you wish to use. Our coach
driver will be based at The Deauville-Touques hotel : clean,
functional, basic comfort level (bathroom with shower and
WC); Hélène went there with her students last October, 2.5 Km
from Deauville. OK but not luxurious. £47 per night per room
(the price is the same if the room is occupied by one, or 2 or 3
guests), breakfast is £ 4.50
For those who would prefer a hotel in Deauville itself we
can arrange for you to stay at: The Royal-Barrière (Noël’s
hotel) (overlooks the beach) or The Mercure Deauville Hôtel
du Yacht Club. Prices are on the booking form. There are lots
of restaurants in Deauville at various prices. Our coach (with
us for the whole weekend) will bring people into Deauville and
will take them back to the base hotel at an agreed time.
Friday
10.25: Departure from London St Pancras.
13.47 : Arrival at the Gare du Nord, Paris.
14.00 : Departure from Paris by coach (waiting for us at the
station) We can leave immediately for Deauville where we
shall arrive at 17.00, or spend an hour in Paris for a walk or a
cup of coffee in the Champs Elysées and arrive in Deauville at
18.00)
17.00 or 18.00 Arrival in Deauville at the hotel(s)
Free to dine at a restaurant of your choice in Deauville.
Saturday
• a guided tour of Deauville
• a reception provided by the Town Hall in a beautiful villa
• talk about Deauville in the 20s and 30s (Channel, Noël
Coward at the Royal Hotel etc….)
• a banquet at the Royal Hotel
(cost £60 to £65 plus wine/drinks)
Sunday
• Free morning
•11.00 : Departure from Deauville
• lunch at the lovely seaside town of Honfleur
•14.00 : departure from Honfleur
•17.00 : Arrival in Paris, Gare du Nord
•17.43 : Departure on Eurostar
•18.59 : Arrival in London
As we have the coach with us for the whole weekend we can
amend the programme to suit the wishes of those in the party.
We are pricing this visit as if 30 people are travelling. The
Coach costs will of course be more or less according to how
many of us go.
Our estimate is that if 30 people travel then the cheapest
possible cost per person with two in a room will be as follows:
Travel: Eurostar from London St Pancras No prices available
as yet but the cheapest May price at the time of 10.25 is £34.50
at other times £64.50. The return is £34.50. Standard Premier
and Business Premier are much dearer.
Cheapest Eurostar travel cost is £69
Cheapest accommodation: £94 (£47 per person)
Breakfast £9
Coach: £80
Banquet (Les Yearlings Menu): Food £68, Pre-dinner drink £10
TOTAL: £283 per person for two sharing a room
BUT...it should be noted that this is the cheapest possible
costing. Only breakfast and one evening meal (banquet) is
included in this and the accommodation is the cheapest
acceptable quality that is available. Other hotel options are
included on the booking form.
If we are to obtain rooms in the cheapest accommodation
we will need to book it very soon. If you are interested in this
trip please return your booking form promptly to help us secure
the rooms we need.
CAMBRIDGE CONFERENCE
Friday-Sunday - September 16 - 18, 2011
News of the Cambridge Conference at Downing College will
be sent to members later this month as our plans become
clearer and we are able to provide a programme of events and
details of those presenters who will be attending.
At this stage it would be useful to keep the dates free if you
intend to join us for what should be the most exciting event of
the NCS year. We look forward to finding out more about our
stay in this delightful university city.
See http://www.visitcambridge.org/VisitCambridge/Home.aspx
for more information on Cambridge.
Key Addresses:
General manager: John Knowles, 29 Waldemar Avenue,
Hellesdon, Norwich, NR6 6TB, UK
[email protected]
+44 (0) 1603 486 188 & +44 (0) 7515 356 067
Finance & Resources:
Stephen Greenman, 64 Morant Street, London, E14 8EL
[email protected]
Events Organiser:
Denys Robinson, 4 Parkside, Vanbrugh Fields, London,
SE30 7QQ + 44 (0) 2082 658 879
email: [email protected]
Membership Secretary:
Stephen Duckham, 47 Compass Court, Norfolk Street,
Coventry,West Midlands, CV1 3LJ 02476 229502
[email protected]
Media Manager:
Michael Wheatley-Ward, Chandos House 14 Vale Square,
Ramsgate, Kent CT11 9DF
[email protected]
North American Director:
Ken Starrett, 49 West 68th Street, Apt 1 R
New York, New York, 10023, USA
[email protected]
US West Coast Liaison:
Kathy Williams141 Stonegate Road, Portola Valley
California 94028-7648 USA
[email protected]
NCS in Australia:
Kerry Hailstone, 10A Westall Street, Hyde Park, South
Australia, 5061 Australia
[email protected]
NCS in France:
Hélène Catsiapis, 115, Boulevard de Port-Royal
F-75014 Paris, France
[email protected]
PLEASE NOTE: The Society is now able to accept US
dollar cheques made out to The Noël Coward Society for
membership fees and all other items including tickets for
NCS events and items for sale such as CDs .
4
THE NOËL COWARD FOUNDATION
In future issues, Home Chat will carry news of The Noël Coward Foundation and its activities. As an
introduction, Alan Brodie who is the Chairman of the Noël Coward Foundation and worldwide
representative of the Noël Coward Estate briefly describes the work of the Foundation and its place in the
world of Noël Coward.
Noël Coward and every
am aware that the existence of what appears to be
exhibit is accompanied by
different organisations working under the name of Noël
educational programs often
Coward can sometimes feel confusing. However it is
funded by the Foundation.
important to point out that all three organisations – The
Of course, The Noël
Estate, Foundation and Society offer very important, separate
Coward Theatre, dedicated
and distinct functions. The Noël Coward Foundation was set
in 2005, is part of that
up as a charitable Trust in 2000 by Graham Payn and Dany
legacy. Rosy Runciman
Dasto with the specific intention of using part of the royalties
who curated the permanent
collected from the exploitation of Noël Coward’s work to
exhibition in the Noël
educate future generations in the theatre and also to support
Coward Theatre as well as
and encourage them to become aware of Noël Coward’s work
the exhibition at the
and legacy. The first Trustees appointed were Graham Payn,
National Theatre has
Dany Dasto, Sheridan Morley, Robert Gardiner, our lawyer
become a Trustee of the
Robert Lee and myself.
Foundation and provides
We decided early on that we would work across the range
real expertise in that area.
of theatre arts – writing, directing, performing, music,
Today, 10 years on, the
songwriting and where possible encourage a combination of all
Foundation is proving to
these skills – something which made Noël Coward so
have had considerable
unique.The founding Trustees also agreed not to award money
to individuals except through organisations and companies who impact in UK and North
America. Many more
may themselves make awards to individuals. Additionally, we
applications are received
do not offer any production funding or put money into capital
than we can possibly hope to accept. The Trustees, recently
projects. Initial awards in the early 2000s went to organisations
joined by Peter Kyle, formerly chief executive of
such as LAMDA and the National Student Drama Festival and
Shakespeare’s Globe all work very hard in communicating
we maintain relationships with them to this day. The Trustees
with and assessing applicants and every application that falls
don’t restrict their awards to Noël Coward related activities.
within the remit is looked at on its merits.
Indeed some of the most worthwhile grants have been to
Amongst its functions, the Foundation will and does
organisations such as The Mousetrap Foundation which
continue to support the activities of The Society through its
subsidises theatre tickets for young theatregoers and the
subsidy of Home Chat and other specific projects such as the
Donmar Warehouse Student matinee scheme. All participating
Oxford Conference. The Trustees all welcome and appreciate
organisations are given information about Noël Coward with a
the support that The Society gives to the Foundation and the
view to introducing them to The Master’s work.
projects it funds and look forward to that relationship
In 2004 Caroline Underwood and Chris Luscombe were
continuing in the years ahead.
appointed Trustees which brought to the Foundation practical
I hope it is clear from the very brief summary above that
experience in theatre and music. One of the most significant
the Foundation performs a unique and specific role in the name
awards of that time was the beginning of the relationship with
of Noël Coward. It does NOT control or exploit any of the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama which launched a Noël
copyrights and does not involve itself in any of the
Coward bursary – giving a student who otherwise might not
productions/performances of Coward’s work which
have been able to afford it, the opportunity to attend Guildhall
specifically remain the responsibility of the Estate.
for a full 3-year course. Also around that time, it was decided
For further information go to www.noëlcoward.org
to expand the grants awarded into North America and Barry
Day and Geoffrey Johnson and latterly Alan Pally were
Alan Brodie
appointed specifically for that purpose. Since the first award
which went to The Chicago Humanities Festival, the Trustees
Editor’s note: The Society was set up in November 1999, the
have supported a variety of organisations including, York
centenary year of Coward’s birth, in response to the interest
Theatre in New York, Goodspeed Opera, Yale Drama School
raised during the celebrations of that year. The activities of the
and The Mabel Mercer Foundation who are administering an
Society were, from the outset, supported and monitored by the
annual Noël Coward Award for an emerging vocalist.
One of the most important aspects of the Foundation’s work Noël Coward Estate to ensure that the Society worked in the
best interests of its members and provided a natural home for
is to support the preservation of Noël Coward’s legacy and we
those who wanted to find out more about Coward and his
have been active in supporting a series of exhibitions started
works - and were willing to develop activities and events to
firstly at Ten Chimneys in Wisconsin, home of Noël’s dear
encourage a greater understanding of his significance in the
friends The Lunts, followed by Exhibitions at the National
Theatre in London, Museum of Performance and Design in San entertainment world of the 20th, and latterly, the 21st century.
The Society plays no role in the administering of The
Francisco and the Motion Picture Academy in LA. These fall
Foundation or the Estate and is grateful to both bodies for its
firmly within the remit, as such exhibitions give everyone
support.
including younger generations the opportunity to learn about
5
NEW YORK NOTES
I LIKE AMERICA
n December 16, 2010 a special screening
was presented at The Paley Center for
Media in New York City to honour Noël
Coward's 111th birthday. Host Christy
Carpenter, Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer of the Paley, introduced the
moderator of the evening, Barry Day. Brought
to the stage by Barry were celebrated
performers Nancy Anderson, Edward Hibbert
and Steve Ross.
Barry offered commentary about Coward's
life and work, with Edward Hibbert reading
passages of Coward's prose. The discussion
touched on topics such as Coward's interest in
Barry Day, Tammy Grimes, Steve Ross, Nancy Anderson and Edward Hibbert
travel and his experiences in America, his close
relationship with Gertrude Lawrence, his life and career during
Life Needn’t be Grey:
World War II, his being knighted in 1970 and the final years of
Steve Ross sings Coward at
his life.
Following a clip of her singing a Coward medley from The
the Metropolitan Museum
Dick Cavett show, Barry introduced special guest Tammy
Grimes who has appeared in several of Coward’s plays on
by Noël Coward Society member - Patrick Monahan
Broadway - ‘Look After Lulu’, ‘Private Lives,’ for which she
won a Tony Award as Best Actress, and the musical High
n January 9, an elegantly incongruous crowd of singers,
Spirits. He discussed her long association with Coward. She
society folk, and music lovers gathered at the
spoke of Coward's demand for precision in saying his lines
Metropolitan Museum of Art
exactly as he wrote them, and the proper pacing for playing
for Steve Ross’s latest lecture
comedy.
cum performance devoted to the life
Many of Coward’s songs and verses were wonderfully
and work of Noël Coward. They
performed by Nancy Anderson, Edward Hibbert and Steve
were given the rare opportunity to
Ross including ‘You Were There,’ ‘I've Got to Go Out and Be
hear Mr. Ross, the chief ornament in
Social’, ‘I've Been to a Marvelous Party,’ and ‘Something Very
the world of “Noël and Cole”
Strange’.
cabaret, explain and execute
The three performers did a bright and cheerful rendition of
glittering examples from the Coward
a medley from The Girl Who Came to Supper. Tammy Grimes
canon. The evening was carefully
delighted the audience with ‘Someday I'll Find You’ and the
calibrated to suit both Coward
deliciously comic ‘Home Sweet Heaven’ which she had
neophytes and those who could recite
performed on Broadway in High Spirits.
‘Mad Dogs and Englishmen’ in their
Video clips and photographs of Coward’s life and work
deepest sleep.
from the Paley archives were interspersed throughout the
Ross, wearing the Master’s own green velvet smoking
program.
jacket (Hawkes and Curtis, if you please), began with a
Also presented was a montage of clips and photos,
brilliant, new arrangement of ‘Play, Orchestra, Play!’, which
assembled by John Knowles, which showed Coward’s early
highlighted both the reckless abandon of the 1930s and spoke
adventures in America.
clearly to our own age of Ipads, Ipods, and Iphones, when
Barry Day recited the poem ‘I’m Here for a Short Visit
many of us long for an orchestra to play once more. ‘Life
Only’. It's final line - ‘I'd like to think I was missed a bit’
needn’t be grey!’ Ross declared, “though it is changing day by
prompted a response from the performers of “You are Noël day….” In his capable hands, one felt safe in a changing world
you are”. A song of which Coward was very proud was
that even Mr. Coward could not have predicted.
certainly a proper ending for the evening. Steve Ross and the
Anecdotes from Coward’s life ran from Gertrude
performers, joined by the audience, very much enjoyed the
Lawrence’s well-known reply to the script of Private Lives
sentiment of ‘I’ll See You Again.’
(“Nothing wrong that can’t be fixed”), to recently unearthed
This evening was in part made possible by The Noël
letters from the Master to his favourite leading lady compiled
Coward Foundation and Christy Carpenter thanked the
by Barry Day in The Letters of Noël Coward (Knopf, 2007).
Foundation for its support in helping to maintain and enhance
In the same way, Ross aimed to expose the earnest as well as
the Noël Coward archives at the Paley.
the flippant side of Coward by choosing the poem ‘This is to
Ken Starrett let you know’, a nightingale cry to a distant love, alongside
another verse entitled ‘Bali’, which Coward admits he can
6
only rhyme with Charlie. When Ross sang ‘A Bar on the
Piccola Marina’, there was a devilish pause after the line about
“Three young sailors from Messina”, which surely would have
set the Master chuckling….
Appropriately, three Cowardian sailors in the form of
Meredith Rich, Sarah Rice and Nicolas King shared the stage
with Mr. Ross. The latter was recently named runner up for the
Mabel Mercer Foundation’s Noël Coward Award, a $5,000
prize offered by the Noël Coward Foundation. King, who is
only nineteen, launched into a crooner-ish rendition of ‘A
Room with a View’, proving how readily even Coward’s best
known songs can seem new and unexpected.
After the performance, much of the audience happened to
feed at Caffé Grazie, just around the corner from the
Metropolitan Museum. When Mr. Ross, who also happened to
enter the restaurant, came face to face with his adoring crowd,
which promptly rose from the tables, he declared, “It’s Sardi’s
East in here!”
BARRY DAY
COWARD NOTES
ntil I started compiling a book of James Thurber, I
hadn't realised the connection between Thurber and
Coward.
Thurber reviewed the Broadway production of
Tonight at 8.30 for a theatre magazine in 1936. That review
and his accompanying drawing can be found in The Letters of
Noël Coward (p.343/344). At the same time he wrote to a
friend - “We (he and his wife Helen) had dinner with
Coward,just the three of us, a lovely time, a swell fellow...he
lets people talk and is very attentive.”
He would make reference to Noël in at least two of his New
Yorker pieces.
A character in Am Not I Your Rosalind ? says :
“A woman should be yelled at regularly, like an umpire - to
paraphrase Noël Coward. Clears the air.”
In The Future, If Any, of Comedy...
“ ‘Do you think we need a new Henry James to re-explore
the Anglo-American scene ?’ he asked. ‘Or perhaps a new Noël
Coward ?’ ”
“But you must have heard it said that the drawing room
disappeared forever with the somnolent years of James and the
antic heyday of Coward. I myself hear it said constantly - in
drawing rooms.”
The later years of the relationship were not so happy.
Thurber appeared with Noël on Ed Murrow's TV programme
Small World.
“Thurber was dull”, Noël reported.
Thurber in answering a letter from a Miss E.H....
“We now come to the perennial parody of Noël Coward of
which the ladies are so fond, and there is in my house a
standing rule about that. If, after your marriage, you ever send
me a burlesque of Private Lives, signed with the name
‘Knowall Coward’, I will burn the snapshot of you and your
husband and the beach cottage. As for your poor baby - but I
am getting surly now and will close, with best wishes, love and
kissed, and a friendly warning that humor can be a headache,
Dear Miss E.H....Why don't you become a bacteriologist or a
Red Cross nurse,like all the other girls ?”
Then in 1961 Thurber attended a party at Sardi’s to
celebrate the opening of Sail Away. “Coward and I are the last
of the great indestructibles,” he was heard to say. Sadly, it
proved not to be the case. Thurber collapsed at the party and
was taken to the hospital where he died a month later without
regaining consciousness.
He was right in one sense, though. In reputation he and
Noël remain ‘indestructible’.
Two Brits currently on Broadway with strong Coward
connections are Brian Bedford and Edward Hibbert.
Edward is the son of Edward Hibbert, an English actor who
appeared with Noël as Joey Mackridge in In Which We Serve
(1942). Many years later Noël appeared in Boom (1968) with
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in which he played the
character of the Witch of Capri. In the current Broadway
production of Tennessee Williams’ The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop
Here Anymore (on which Boom was based) the Witch is played
by - Edward Hibbert.
Brian Bedford played Elyot opposite Tammy Grimes as
Amanda in the Tony Award-winning revival of Private Lives in
1970 now appearing in the Broadway revival of The
Importance of Being Earnest (as Lady Bracknell!) In a New
York Times profile he reminisced about his 1956 West End
debut in The Young and Beautiful, a play based on a Scott
Fitzgerald story. “I sort of copied Noël Coward,which was
rather audacious”.
Later he would meet impresario ‘Binkie’ Beaumont, “who
announced a couple of friends were coming over. They turned
out to be Noël Coward and Marlene Dietrich. So I am sitting
there listening to Noël and Marlene talking about - ‘Remember
when we had to change into evening clothes in a taxi ?’ I could
have sat there for weeks. What I was for these fancy people
was the perfect audience.”
Just as Broadway is proving the perfect audience for the
Witch of Capri and Lady Bracknell...
Michael Allinson,an English actor and President Emeritus
of the prestigious Players Club in New York died on the eve of
his 90th birthday.
Michael moved to the US in the late 1950s and had a
distinguished career on Broadway,the highlight being when he
took over the role of Higgins in My Fair Lady from Rex
Harrison.
A lifelong Coward enthusiast,he was particularly proud to
be the last remaining survivor of the cast of the 1952 Quadrille,
which starred Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. Michael played
the part of the Waiter.
7
DOUBLE ENTENDRE?
ermyn Street Theatre is, at the time of writing, showing
Terence Rattigan’s Less Than Kind as part of the
celebration of his centenary year. The play is the hitherto
unperformed original version of Rattigan's 1944 hit play
Love in Idleness. A contemporary reworking of the basic
situation in Hamlet, it centres on Michael Brown, an idealistic
17-year-old who returns from wartime evacuation in Canada
only to find that his widowed mother is living in sin with the
Claudius-figure, Sir John Fletcher, multi-millionaire right-wing
industrialist and the embodiment of everything Michael
passionately loathes.
Rattigan's biographer, Michael Darlow, has explained how
the piece was hijacked by Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne
when they signed up to star in the West End premiere. To
satisfy their demands, the dramatist sold out to commerce,
transforming the industrialist into a good-hearted, worldly chap
doing his best for England. The politics became less obtrusive;
the values were turned upside down.
This sparked a slight re-examination of my view of
Coward’s best known American friends, The Lunts, who I have
always maintained as proud exemplars of American theatre.
They were certainly the most significant theatrical performers
of the US theatre but their limited appearances in the UK and
their unwillingness to appear in films has made their
significance to British theatre goers rather slight if it has had
any significance at all.
Their unwillingness to act apart can rightly be viewed as
the strongest possible expression of their love and commitment
to each other. It can also appear rather bizarre. They certainly
appeared separately in their early careers but the compact to
always appear together that began when they had already
become household names in the US was part of several pacts
they made that allowed them to define themselves - when they
would be available to appear in any theatre and their rejection
of film work, famously turning down £1,000,000 to appear in a
film. (In 1931 the Lunts starred in a film adaptation of their
stage hit The Guardsman, then declined further film offers).
In the latter part of their careers they were clearly seen as
theatre royalty much honoured and hugely respected. They
received Tony’s (including a Lifetime Achievement Tony
Award in 1970), doctorates and the Presidential Medal of
Freedom (received in the East Room of the White House).
Lynn received a Kennedy Center Honor on behalf of the “First
Couple of American Theatre” after Alfred’s demise.
TV they approached reluctantly but with great aplomb
winning the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
Award for Excellence (the Emmys) for The Magnificent
Yankee. At the time Alfred Lunt said, “Once a scene is taped,
there it is recorded for ever. In the theater, there is always a
chance to better it.”
From, 1926 onwards they lived for half of the year at Ten
Chimneys, in Genesee Depot, in Waukesha County, Wisconsin,
and when they retired from the stage, in 1960, they spent the
rest of their lives there. But their sojourn had as much theatre
content as their appearances on stage. The house was treated as
a series of scenes with doors, windows, furnishings and fittings
strategically placed for entrances, light and appearance. They
continually talked theatre, practised scenes, redesigned moves
and actions and treated their frequent show-business guests to
theatrical opportunities, to watch, contribute and join in.
Alfred became a cordon bleu chef, agricultural obsessive,
Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne at Ten Chimneys
keen decorator and extender of their rural paradise - all in a
careful blend of scandinavian folk art and theatrical design.
Lynn played her role to the full in this ever-expanding
theatrical playground.
Their kindnesses to those they employed and their own
neighbours are legendary, ensuring that prying visitors were
always carefully mis-guided to other properties away from Ten
Chimneys.
But I am not facing up to the point of this article that is
whether they would have made a greater contribution to
American theatre if they had acted apart as well as together and
did their ‘national treasure’ status lead them to interfere too
much with the work of the writers of the plays they performed?
It is certainly true that Alfred Lunt missed a number of
opportunities to perform great roles. Many feel he was the
better actor of the two and could have gone on to enjoy even
greater success than he managed as part of the Lunts. Lynn’s
romance with Lunt began in 1920 while he was starring in the
play Clarence with Helen Hayes, who had discreetly fallen in
love with him. The Lunts were married in 1922. Hayes
remained a lifelong friend of the pair, although many believe
she never quite forgave Fontanne for ‘stealing’ Lunt from her.
Hayes' 1988 autobiography, published after the Lunts' deaths,
contains several barbs directed at Fontanne, who supposedly
was her friend for decades. The inference perhaps being that
Lynn rode on to the stage in Alfred’s wake. But this is far from
true. Her early success in the George S. Kaufman-Marc
Connelly's farce Dulcy led to her being celebrated for her skill
as an actress in high comedy, excelling in witty roles written
for her by Noël Coward, S. N. Behrman and Robert Sherwood.
Fontanne's flair for elegant romantic comedy is often credited
8
with creating a new style of dramatic heroine and an
inspiration and influence on later screen actresses like
Claudette Colbert, Myrna Loy, and Carole Lombard who
brought the rhythm to their screen performances. Lynn enjoyed
one of the greatest critical successes of her career as Nina
Leeds, the desperate heroine of Eugene O'Neill's nine-act
drama, Strange Interlude. Following this she acted exclusively
with her husband.
Noël, the ultimate stickler for theatre and performance
professionalism, held them up as the ultimate examples of how
one should prepare and tackle a play and admired them
probably more than any other actors of his and their
generation.
Their preparation and attention to dramatic detail marked
them out as totally devoted thespians whose personal chemistry
and commitment to each other allowed them the luxury of a
shared lifetime passion.
The critics took their combined presence to their hearts and
treated ‘the whole as greater than the sum of the parts’. Lynn
may well have manipulated Alfred to suit her purpose when
indeed it did suit her purpose - she consistently lied to him
about her age to the end, saying she was five years younger
than him when she was in fact five years older.
But who is to say that manipulation only brings ill. It may
have been the very thing that Alfred needed to keep him
sparking and firing on all theatrical cylinders.
Whatever the reality of their shortcomings, the impact of
their combined influence on the work of others meant that they
probably made the greatest theatrical contribution of their age
to American theatre and for that we should all thank them.
As you would expect Lynn Fontanne is interred next to her
husband, Alfred Lunt, at Forest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. God bless them.
So in summary their passionate and obsessive theatrical
lives may well have affected their judgment when it came to
examining the material they used but their legacy in terms of
their influence on the thespian arts especially on Broadway
should never be underestimated.
They broke many of the classic rules of the Victorian and
Edwardian theatre, spoke with their backs to the audience
forbore stagey posing for realism and emotional honesty. On
balance whatever their demands may have done to
commercialise the theatre their example advanced the dramatic
arts and left an indelible presence in the theatres of the
English-speaking world.
John Knowles
A THEATRE SEAT IN THE REGIONS?
n the last edition of Home Chat we
talked about the possibility of inviting
members in the regions to keep an eye
out for a local production or event
that might form the basis for a society event
in their region. Recently NCS member Lori
Winch-Johnson did just that and has
arranged an event at the Yvonne Arnaud
Theatre in Guildford - only a stone’s throw
from the capital I know but a healthy start
in this direction - to see a professional
production of Cowardy Custard.
If you feel able to offer the lead in
organising an event in your area linked to a
local or visiting production then please get
in touch with me, Stephen Duckham at:
47 Compass Court, Norfolk Street,
Coventry,West Midlands, CV1 3LJ
Tel: 02476 229502
I don’t care what Mr. Coward said... Norfolk is not very flat... well not all over!
[email protected] or
Denys Robinson at:
possibly attend. If this number means that an event would be
4 Parkside, Vanbrugh Fields, London, SE30 7QQ
worthwhile then we ask you to investigate group ticket prices
Tel: 02082 658 879 [email protected]
for the event, on-site or local eating places, the possibility of
The commitment is limited to organising a single event at
meeting the cast or organisers at the event and any local
local level in partnership with the Society who will manage all
accommodation for an overnight stay. Past experience indicates
of the administration, booking arrangements and finances. The
that matinée performances on a Saturday do best in attracting
Society assures that this will not open the door to further
interest but this is only a guide as many members are able to
commitment - so please do feel free to make a single
attend mid-week and evening events.
contribution to its work.
If you would like to know more about helping in this way
If you feel able to help in this way then the process is a
please get in touch to talk through some possibilities.
simple one. Get in touch with Denys Robinson or me and we
will let you know the number of people in your area who could
Stephen Duckham
Stephen has asked me to remind UK and World members (not US or Canada), that January subscription renewals are due.
If you have not responded yet to his request for renewal then unfortunately this will be the last magazine that you will
receive!
9
FROM THE ARCHIVE
This piece is half of an article printed in the American theatre magazine
Theatre Arts Monthly in February 1939. It is an interesting contemporary article
on Noël rehearsing Bea Lillie for Set To Music - more in the next edition. . .
10
11
12
13
14
. . .more next time.
15
TALENT TO AMUSE
THE CD THAT NEARLY FAILED TO AMUSE. . .
n January of this year Denys Robinson received a letter
from Paul Vickers who was the Chief Electrician at the
Phoenix Theatre when Noël’s 70th birthday celebration A
Talent To Amuse took place on December 16th, 1969.
He saw the article we produced early on in our search to get
permission from the artists who took part in that show, to allow
us to produce a CD of a recording we had discovered at Noël’s
London Office in Cadogen Square. You may recall that we
found 3 LPs of extracts from the show, clearly private
recordings but looking as if they were professionally produced
(see photo below).
This created
something of puzzle
for Paul. . . as he says:
“I was recently shown
an article from you in
which you were
appealing for
information regarding
the one-off
performance ‘A Talent
To Amuse’ which took
place at the Phoenix
Theatre in 1969. You say that you have a recording of
highlights of the show, and that you are seeking permission of
those taking part for its release. I was the Chief Electrician at
the Phoenix at the time, and obviously remember the whole
performance extremely well, even after all these years.
There were only two sound engineers present, myself acting on
behalf of the Phoenix and responsible for the house PA system
and an engineer working for the BBC who were hoping to
record the whole event (sound and vision). The visual part of
the BBCs attempts were thwarted by the lighting designer
Michael Northen, who refused to compromise his design in
order to give them the sort of light levels they required until the
very final scene when Noël Coward himself joined the
entire cast on stage. By which time the main camera (situated
in the projection room in the roof - because one of the
conditions was that the cameras should be ‘out of sight’) had
fallen over and been badly damaged.
As for the audio side. I spent quite a while crawling about
in the overcrowded orchestra pit, amongst Grant Hossack, his
musicians and indeed the Mike Sammes singers setting up the
house microphones. They helped me by moving the BBC’s
equipment out of the way. They, and many other artists made it
very clear that they were not at all in favour of the BBC having
a recording of this event. I suppose in view of the fact that they
were all giving their services free of charge for charity they
would not want there to be some possibility of someone else
profiting.”
Paul went on to explain that he could not see how it would
have been possible for this recording to have been made
without his cooperation, and knowledge.
He says:
“Of course, it is quite possible that some of the artists were
happy to have their individual contributions recorded. This
could have been done separately away from the theatre and
then compiled into one, but I stress again that as far as I am
concerned I think it is highly unlikely that any recording you
have would be of the actual live performance.”
Denys had sent me this letter and I found it fascinating.
Firstly because someone in such a pivotal role in ensuring the
success of the evening had got in touch and secondly because I
knew we had a ‘live’ recording - so how could it have been
produced?
I sent a copy of the CD to Paul who kindly listened and
responded:
“Thank you very much for the ‘Talent To Amuse’ CD
It certainly rekindled some distant memories. As far as the
original is concerned it certainly would appear to be a live
recording, but I am even more certain than ever, having heard
it, that it was not done in the normal way.
A short while before this performance we installed, at the
Phoenix, a new ‘tannoy’ system, which, at the time, was
considered to deliver pretty good quality sound, and it
appears to me that this recording was done in one of the
dressing rooms from this tannoy. This is something I did myself
on several occasions (though not on this performance) and
there is something about the sound quality which is definitely
familiar. The microphone for the system was positioned on a
small shelf on the prompt side proscenium arch, and although
it gave a good coverage of the stage, orchestra, and even the
audience response, it naturally tended to favour any artist on
the prompt side over those on the opposite prompt side, whose
voices appeared to echo slightly. This effect is very apparent to
me on the CD and reinforces my opinion that the original
recording was in fact a ‘pirate’ recording (probably done by
one of the artists).”
16
Paul goes on to say that he finds difficult to see how this
recording could have been made legitimately as he felt sure
that, “the BBC engineer got little or nothing that was
reuseable”, and that it was extremely unlikely that a recording
could have been made without his involvement or that of the
theatre management.
He continues:
“As for the performance itself. My main memory is, in fact, the
all day dress rehearsal that took place on the preceding
Sunday. Each of the artists (or group of artists) had rehearsed
in small venues all over the place, and this was the first and
only time it had all been brought together (other than the
actual performance). For those taking part it would be the one
and only opportunity to see the other performances. So most of
the cast spent the entire day in the stalls watching each other.
With one notable exception who swept in after midday
demanding to ‘do his bit now, because he was busy’- then
swept out again. But most of the rest spent all day watching
and supporting each other. I remember thinking at the time that
if a bomb were to fall on the Phoenix that day then the British
entertainment industry would be much reduced. Although such
days are exhausting it was, looking back on it an extremely
memorable occasion. I hope this is of interest to you. Thank
you once again.”
So there you have it. Was this recording a ‘pirate’ recording
made using the on-stage tannoy relaying the sound back to the
dressing rooms or was it whatever the BBC engineer managed
to salvage from his efforts to record the show?
Well two further pieces of information may help, I hasten to
add that I have not shared these with Paul as yet. Firstly the
vinyl recording discs themselves. These look official as if
carried out by a person or company that was used to producing
such recordings - such as the BBC. Secondly to my untutored
ear most of the original recordings appear to be in stereo. This
is indicated at the start when John Gielgud is reading Noël’s
verse The Boy Actor. The stereo appears to ‘drop out’ near the
beginning and we are left with a mono recording for several
lines, then it pops back in again. When the recording was fully
restored for us by the retired BBC engineer Alan Bunting he
managed to create a stereo feel for the whole Gielgud track.
Paul could of course be absolutely right. He was there and
knew what the set up of the sound system on the day was.
Some will recall that Grant Hossack the Musical Director told
me, during the period when I was searching for artist
permissions, that the Mike Sammes Singers were not miked up
at all for the sound going out ‘front of house’ and could only be
heard on the stage. So there clearly were some sound problems
on the night.
My best guess is that the extracts Noël received on 3 vinyl
disks was all that could be salvaged by the BBC engineer of his
original intentions to record the whole show both visually as
well as aurally, but I have no sound basis for claiming that.
What a wonderful film/video that would have made - I
certainly wish he had succeeded!
John Knowles
My thanks to Paul Vickers for writing to us and providing
such an interesting puzzle about such a great event.
‘A Talent to Amuse’ is available from Stephen Greenman for
£7.50 or 10 Euros or $15 US including p&p
Contact details see Page 4 Addresses.
AUTHENTICITY AND ORIGINALITY
Dominic Vlasto considers some of the problems in dealing with artistic icons,
and highlights some exciting iconoclasm
It’ll be known to many that Alan Farley and I collaborated
wonder whether all our
on the assembly of the discographical elements of the ‘Noël
members on America’s
Coward Music Index’. Among other considerations, we both
West Coast realize just
felt that compilation of a complete history of all recordings
how lucky they are?
made by or associated with Noël Coward and his productions
Long before all the Noël
was long overdue. Forgotten, discarded, re-recorded or
Coward razzmatazz of the
wrongly-ascribed pieces of music and lyrics were still coming
past year, they have certainly
to light, and there were important discoveries to be made about
been able to enjoy an annual
the work of particular arrangers, accompanists, orchestrators,
birthday celebration of Noël
etc. This was where my more musicological instincts were
Coward for far longer than
much to the fore, trying to nose out exactly how, say, the piano
anyone in New York or
accompaniment techniques employed by Accompanist A
London. It is now twentydiffered from those of Accompanist B, or how Accompanist
nine years that Alan Farley
C’s figurations varied between two different recordings.
has been broadcasting his
Alan Farley
Sometimes it became clear that wrong ascriptions had been
‘Noël Coward Birthday
made in the past, and one was even able to “find” and add to
Special’ on 16 December from KALW 91.7fm in San
the iconographic canon a whole series of lost or un-ascribed
Francisco. There were two marathon “specials” in 1986 and
recordings.
1989, and apart from these and the very first, every one of
My main role was mostly in the identification and analysis
these hour-long Celebrations has been characterized by
of ‘Authenticity’, stemming from a background in mainstream
attention to three main elements: 1) detailed interviews with
academic musicology and the insights gained from working
those most closely associated with Noël Coward and his work,
closely over a few years with Norman Hackforth, Coward’s
2) exploration of “archive” items which were still coming to
musical collaborator. However, it soon became clear to us that,
light over most of this period, and 3) reviewing the best and
as far as the ‘Music Index’ was concerned, it was equally as
most up-to-date new developments and performances of Noël
important to try to catalogue what everybody else had been
Coward’s work.
17
Coward’s music was first featured in last August’s Home
doing with Coward’s
Chat with a commentary by Barry. Hers is one of those
music during his
CD’s which when first listening I found myself thinking,
lifetime.
“Wow! That works well!” more than once, and I instantly
Thus was born the
wanted to hear more of her work – or their work, I should
discographical section
say, since this is a clear case where unusually thoughtful
known as ‘Other Notable
reconsideration of Coward’s music has been undertaken by
Recordings’, and
both singer and accompanist, the musical director Larry
gradually it became
Yurman.
apparent that this section
In his interview with Christine Ebersole, Alan Farley
could not simply stop at
said that the CD “made me listen to [the songs] differently”.
Coward’s death in 1973,
Barry said, “she sings the songs the way Noël wrote them”.
but should ideally be an
By this I think he is echoing Noël’s own injunction to
ongoing resource,
“simply speak or sing the words as written”, but Barry
constantly being updated
certainly doesn’t mean that these performers are tied down
with other peoples’ new
in any way either by printed music or by any sense of
interpretations of Noël
conformity to an iconography. Several very well-known
Coward’s music and
Coward pieces come across with extraordinary freshness,
lyrics. It was in trying to
Norman Hackforth
and there are moments of genius in vocal delivery,
assess a positive flood of
accompaniment and reconstruction. This “difference” in
other peoples’ takes on
impact must owe much to the fact that with this project
Coward’s music around the time of the Coward centenary that
Christine Ebersole was coming completely new to Coward’s
we found ourselves constantly challenged by tensions between
music. The idea for the CD grew from her appearing in the
Authenticity and Originality. Some sang beautifully,
recent Broadway revival of Blithe Spirit, where director
authentically even, but somehow imparted nothing original to
Michael Blakemore was inspired to ask Miss Ebersole if she
the work, others were let down by stylistically inept
wouldn’t mind filling the curtain-drops between acts with the
accompaniment, others perhaps tried to do things with the
music (or who showed vocal qualities) which diminished rather rendition of a few Coward songs. During her interview with
Alan Farley Miss Ebersole says that with the CD she
than enhanced the original. Most non-theatre performers
discovered the “treasure trove” of Coward’s music: “So many
remained limited by the printed sheet-music versions that were
of his songs are full of longing – I feel I can identify with
available. Only a very few seemed to have considered both the
those”; but she also said that she owed a good deal to her
vocal performance and the accompaniment - the stylistic
music
musical setting – with equal carefulness.
director/collaborator
There is this serious problem about dealing with
Larry Yurman, who
musical icons: once the style of a work (or series of
“brought a lot to the
works) has been accepted as being iconic – certainly
table”.
true of Coward – it is hard for there to be any
Among the
development of style without that development itself
things that Larry
being compared, often rather unfavourably, with the
Yurman brings to the
icon. Those who most treasure the work in its iconic
table are impeccable
form will of course be most conscious of any changes
musicianship and a
or imperfections in style in subsequent performances,
deep understanding
but although conscious that I have probably been more
of how to provide
immersed in Coward musical iconography than most, I
accompaniment
also bear constantly in mind one of the principal
Christine Ebersole and Larry Yurman
which illumines,
comments Norman Hackforth made to me when we
supports and strengthens the melody and lyrics without ever
first met to discuss Coward’s compositions: “There simply is
specifically drawing attention to itself. He is far more
no sacrosanct Authorised Version [of any Coward song]: the
concerned to reflect the moods and feelings of the song and the
only constant is the melody and the broad scheme of harmonic
singer than he is to revel in his own “exquisite artistry” (Miss
progressions”. This in no way disparages the work of superb
Ebersole’s words, not mine).
musicians such as Michael Law, whose performances in
There is insufficient space here to review each of the 14
deliciously precise period style certainly enhance and illumine
tracks in any detail, but it is certainly worth highlighting some
the iconography in its original colours; but remembering
of the most effective reconstructions and song-pairings. The
Hackforth’s principle certainly offers a green light to all
opening track, ‘Someday I’ll Find You’, is characteristic of the
potential iconoclasts.
whole: a song one thinks one knows well, but from the opening
If you believe that Coward’s musical/compositional voice
notes (a quote from ‘I’ll Follow My Secret Heart’) there is a
has substance and worthwhile resonance beyond its origins,
pure and simple directness, dead true to the essentials of the
then you should constantly be looking for those performances
song, without a note of the accompaniment being remotely
which somehow bring something new to the music, which
similar to anything anyone else has ever done, and with little
make one think, “Well, I’d never have thought of doing it that
extensions and reflections constantly being supplied in the
way myself, but Wow! That works well!”. This brings us back
accompaniment details. ‘Someday I’ll Find You’ generally
to Alan Farley’s most recent Birthday Celebration broadcast.
suffers, I think, from over-familiarity with the iconic version
Along with notable contributions from Barry Day and Alan
(Gertrude Lawrence’s) and over-simplified sheet-music. This
Brodie, the principal guest artist on this year’s KALW
performance made me wish that everyone could have Yurman’s
broadcast was Christine Ebersole, whose recent CD of
18
arrangement in front of them when preparing this piece for
performance, because it is so much better constructed – it
makes more of the material- than the original.
I also particularly enjoyed ‘You Were There’, a song
famously fraught with potential musical pitfalls. Yurman and
Ebersole’s arrangement concentrates on presenting this song
as a “big romantic number”, introduces new (and rather
magical and mysterious) chordal progressions, gives all of the
rarely-heard second refrain and then chops down the second
refrain to its bare essentials – just its starting and closing
phrases. You’ll never have heard this song done quite like this
before, but it manages to be more true to its essentials and to
communicate the essence of the piece more convincingly than
perhaps one has ever heard before.
The best of two very interesting pairings of songs is
undoubtedly ‘Never Again/Sail Away’, one of which is a really
well-known song, the other hugely underrated. This
arrangement makes one realize for the first time that these two
songs are variants of exactly the same emotionally yearning
mood. Much accompaniment material (e.g. new and rather
dreamily mysterious chordal figurations) are common to both
tunes. Their fusion together means that each reflects elements
of the other. I am only slightly less convinced by Christine
Ebersole’s personal favourite number, ‘Matelot/Come the Wild
Wild Weather’, which splices the songs in a rather more
fragmentary manner. It’s still a very effective mood-pairing,
and there are bold touches in Larry Furman’s chordal reaccompaniment; but both performers take liberties with the
rhythms/phrase lengths at the end of ‘Matelot’’s middle 8
which is perhaps an iconoclastic step too far. And I’m not
convinced by the repeated cries of “Matelot – Matelot –
Matelot!’ which burst out at one point.
One notable rarity is ‘The Dream is Over’, dating from
1928, which despite rather “bitty” phrase lengths – never
longer than ten syllables and often as few as four – here has an
emotional impact – that same sense of yearning - which soars
far beyond its taut and economical construction. A second is
‘When My Ship Comes Home’ from 1923. Simplicity and
openness are everything in this piece. Christine Ebersole’s
very “straight” concert-singer’s approach here is just right for
the gentle mood of longing for a better future, which is the
point of the song. Here you really feel its melodic quality
despite the fact that it is not a huge composition. They have
made utterly the most of these “slight” numbers, partly because
they have been prepared to move away from any
preconceptions.
Even very well-known numbers (‘If Love Were All’, ‘I’ll
See You Again’), where there are fewer constructional changes,
come over with unusual directness and impact. I have never
been more convinced that the essential nature of ‘I’ll Follow
My Secret heart’ is truly operatic than I was by this
performance. Larry Yurman’s accompaniment breathed great
breadth and power into the “original” song and made one
instantly wish to hear a fully orchestrated version of the same.
Neither Yvonne Printemps (original cast recording) nor Lily
Pons (Coward’s own 1956 recording) are anything like as well
supported in this piece by their settings/orchestrations. Nor,
dare I say, does the quality of either’s singing voice bear much
favourable comparison with Miss Ebersole’s apparently
effortless artistry.
A full track-listing follows. I cannot recommend this CD
strongly enough for all those who wish to have their
conceptions of Coward’s music stretched. UK purchasers
might be better advised to look for the CD on Amazon.com, as
I did on finding out that www.christineebersole.com does not
allow for non-US purchases.
1. SOMEDAY I'LL FIND YOU
2. ANY LITTLE FISH (Coward)/IT'S ONLY YOU (Gibbons)
3. YOU WERE THERE
4. A ROOM WITH A VIEW (duet with Howard McGillin)
5. CHASE ME CHARLIE
6. MATELOT/COME THE WILD, WILD WEATHER
7. I'LL FOLLOW MY SECRET HEART
8. WORLD WEARY
9. IF LOVE WERE ALL
10. MAD ABOUT THE BOY
11. NEVER AGAIN/SAIL AWAY
12. THE DREAM IS OVER
13. WHEN MY SHIP COMES HOME
14. I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN
Dominic Vlasto
Christine Ebersole
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UK COWARD BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS • PHOTO GALLERY
PHOTOS: Seema Khalique • [email protected] • www.seemakhalique.com
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US COWARD BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
he uncomfortably cold weather and torrential rains on the
morning of December 12, 2010 did not deter NCS
members from attending the annual flower-laying
ceremony. This occasion in the Theatre Hall of Fame in
the Gershwin Theatre in New York would celebrate Noël
Coward's 111th birthday.
Members came from Massachusetts, Connecticut and
Pennsylvania. Among the guests were Mr. and Mrs. Alan
Brodie who were here from London. He is the representative
of the Noël Coward Estate. Ken Starrett in his welcome
address noted that with an increased number of productions of
Coward plays, new books and recordings of his music, the
name of Noël Coward had a very high profile in the United
States in the past year. The successful Broadway revival of
Present Laughter earlier in the season and the popular
production of Brief Encounter gave Coward fans much to
enjoy.
As in past years, there would be a special guest who would
lay flowers on the statue of Noël Coward. This year our
special guest was Mr. Victor Garber. He has had a long
distinguished career in films, television and the theatre. He has
been seen in such blockbuster films as Legally Blonde,
Sleepless in Seattle and Titanic. On television he starred in the
popular series Alias. His celebrated career in the theatre would
include the original Broadway productions of Sweeney Todd,
Art, Deathtrap, and Noises Off.
This past season, Broadway saw his critically-acclaimed
performance as Gary Essendine in Noël Coward's Present
Laughter. Mr. Garber spoke of his discovery of the demands of
playing Coward when he appeared several years ago as Charles
Condomine in a production of Blithe Spirit. He first played
Garry Essendine in Boston at the Huntington Theatre in 2007
and was happy to play the role again. It gave him the chance
to explore the many levels of this difficult character.
Victor Garber PHOTO: Shirley and Tom O'Brien
Following the flower-laying, members went to the nearby
Manhattan Club at Rosie O'Grady's Restaurant for a luncheon
and entertainment. A tradition established at previous annual
luncheons of having a drawing for Coward-related gifts
continued this year.
After members picked their tickets, two gifts were given
and the winning numbers were selected by Mr. Garber. The
first gift was a copy of Barry Day's latest book The Noël
Coward Reader and was won by Steve Ross. The second gift
was a framed poster of the Broadway production of Brief
Encounter autographed by the entire cast. Along with the
poster were two tickets to see the production. This gift was
won by Robert Briggs.
Steve Ross PHOTO: Shirley and Tom O'Brien
Foundation Award
presented at the Cabaret
Convention in October.
The first was Kevin
Dozier who gave a
touching performance
with his renditions of
'Matelot' and 'Come the
Wild Wild Weather.' He
Entertainment,
hosted by Steve Ross,
was presented after the
main course. Steve
introduced two singers
who earlier in the year
had appeared in the
competition for the
Noël Coward
Kevin Dozier PHOTO: Shirley and Tom O'Brien
was followed by Joyce
Breach whose warm,
personal style delighted
us with her singing of
'Room With a View,'
'Someday I'll Find You,'
and 'I'll Follow My
Secret Heart.' Steve
Joyce Breach PHOTO: Shirley and Tom O'Brien
Ross, wearing a green
velvet smoking jacket
that once belonged to Noël Coward, finished the program. It is
always exciting to hear his definitive interpretations of Coward
music. He first sang 'Sigh No More' followed by 'Time Will
Tell,' a lovely waltz that had been cut from The Girl Who
Came To Supper , and ended with a very moving version of
'London Pride." The afternoon came to an end with everyone
joining in to sing 'I'll See You Again."
On Saturday, December 11th, the day before the luncheon,
a screening was held at the Paley Center for Media of a
television special called "The Noël Coward Story." This is the
US version of what in the UK was known as The Arena
Trilogy. There were 80 members in attendance. Among the
guests were film star, Carleton Carpenter and our Vice
President, Ms. Tammy Grimes. Following the screening was a
reception
which gave
members the
chance to
"meet and
greet."
There are
many Societies
devoted to
poets, artists
and writers, but
how lucky we Ken Starrett and Victor Garber PHOTO: Patti Dei
are to have a Society devoted to a man who entertained us and
touched us with so much grace, wit and charm. But there
would be no Society without the interest of our members. For
this loyal support, I deeply thank you.
Ken Starrett
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FAMILY
ALBUM
This page is available for any member to itemise
publications, recordings, events and anything
else connected with Noël Coward’s name and
work in which they have played a part or wish to
recommend to NCS members.
NOËL COWARD HIS VOICE IN VERSE
Barry Day has produced a recording of Coward’s verse read by
Coward, his contemporaries and current actors and performers.
The CD is being sold in aid of The Combined Theatrical
Charities and sells in the UK at £7.99 or in the US $15 p&p
included. If you would like a copy please contact Stephen
Greenman in the UK and Ken Starrett in the US (for contact
addresses see Page 4). The tracks are:
Personal Reminiscence/CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER
The Boy Actor/NOËL COWARD
Tribute to Marlene Dietrich/NOËL COWARD
Epitaph for An Elderly Actress/EDWARD HIBBERT
Mrs. Mallory/MARIA AITKEN
The Lady at the Party/DANA IVEY
She Was as Pretty As She Could Be/CHRISTINE EBERSOLE
Social Grace/MARGARET LEIGHTON
I’ve Got To Go Out and Be Social/SIMON CALLOW
Routine for a Critic/HOWARD KISSEL
To Mr. James Agate/MICHAEL RIEDEL
Dear Mr. Graham Greene/RICHARD BRIERS
Opera Notes/PATRICIA ROUTLEDGE
Toast from Cavalcade/PENELOPE KEITH
Merry Christmas 1939/SIMON JONES
Personal Note/ROSEMARY HARRIS
I’ve Just Come Out from England/CELIA JOHNSON
Lie in the Dark and Listen/NOËL COWARD
The Battle of Britain Dinner: New York 1963/SIMON JONES
On Leaving England for the First Time/ANGELA LANSBURY
Bora Bora/TAMMY GRIMES
Bali/STEVE ROSS
House Guest/JIM DALE
Jeunesse Doré/STEPHEN FRY
This is to Let You Know/ZOË WANAMAKER
I Knew You Without Enchantment/SALLY ANN HOWES
Honeymoon 1905/ANNA MASSEY
I Am No Good At Love/MARIAN SELDES
Do I Believe?/NOËL COWARD
Lines to a Little God/BRIAN MURRAY • Nothing Is
Lost/HAYLEY MILLS
When I Have Fears/BARRY DAY
I’m Here For a Short Visit Only/SIMON JONES
Bonus tracks:
On Leaving England for the First Time/LYNN REDGRAVE
The Boy Actor/JOHN GIELGUD
Me and The Girls/STEPHEN FRY
Produced and Written by BARRY DAY
Commentary spoken by SIMON JONES
Audio Production by JOHN KNOWLES
Cover illustration by LYNNE CAREY
NCS Member Elizabeth Sharland’s
latest novel is entitled On The Riviera
In the south of France, when the Scott Fitzgeralds, the Murphys,
Picasso, and Jean Cocteau lived and worked during the Jazz Age,
the French Riviera became famous. Now, Nicole Bennett goes there
to retrace their steps and try to discover who followed after them.
Disenchanted with her award-winning acting career as well as
her one-year marriage to Nigel, she seeks to make a significant change in her life. She
leaves London and attempts to fulfill her dream of writing a book about the writers who
lived and worked in the south of France.
In Cannes, she meets new people and falls in love with the incredible scenery. While
rediscovering the charm and magic of the Riviera, she is influenced by other writers—
Graham Green, Dirk Bogarde, Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway - who once
walked the same streets and enjoyed the same experiences. It’s now up to Nicole to
recreate the magic they all found.
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SILVERLANDS
Judy Staber of Old Chatham, New York, USA has written
a memoir about her unusual childhood in England.
Silverlands: Growing Up at the Actors’ Orphanage has been
published by The Troy Book Makers of Troy, New York.
Born into a theatrical family in London during World War
II — her father had been the manager of The Duke of York’s
Theatre in London’s West End before enlisting, and her
mother, Joan White, was a successful actress. As a small child
the family went through certain upheavals and, when the war
was over in 1946, her mother placed Judy, not quite four, and
her sister, seven, at The Actors’ Orphanage in Chertsey, a town
in Surrey south of London. When she was eleven, her mother
moved to Canada and her fifteen-year-old sister followed a
year later. Judy was to remain at Silverlands for twelve and a
half years, until it was sold. Eventually, at sixteen, she too
came to North America, to the States; the Orphanage was no
more and all her childhood ‘siblings’ were scattered around
the world.
This story of her childhood at the Actors’ Orphanage is a
story touched by the glamour of the theatre and such notable
personalities as Noël Coward, Laurence Olivier and Richard
Attenborough, but also filled with the sadness that comes
when families are torn apart by ill-fortune or the need to
pursue careers. For most of her time at Silverlands, Noël
Coward was President of the Actors’ Orphanage Fund and had
been since 1934. He made several remembered visits during
her childhood and he kept the Orphanage afloat by raising
much-needed funds. With access to some of the archives and
the writings of pre-war orphans, Judy Staber has included
much of the history of the institution (founded in 1896), as well
as of her own family’s history. A deep vote of thanks goes to
Alan Brodie for permission to quote Noël Coward, where
applicable, and to TACT for help with research.
It is the story of resilient children, most of whom weren’t
orphans, but who were orphaned for a time during their
childhoods by their parents’ profession - The Theatre; of how
other members of the theatrical profession took care of these
children, as they still do today through The Actors’ Charitable
Trust. The Actors’ Orphanage was a unique institution. Judy’s
earliest years were somewhat harsh and her childhood at
Silverlands was different from the norm: for some children it
was too different, but for Judy it was the only childhood she
knew and she thrived and grew there.
Judy Staber has worked in
the visual and performing arts
since she arrived in the United
States. She lived in the Berkshires
of Massachusetts for twenty years,
where she brought up her
daughters and wrote for local
newspapers, followed by jobs in
arts marketing with Shakespeare &
Company, Edith Wharton
Judy Staber’s memoir about growing up at
The Actors’ Orphanage in England
Restoration, The Berkshire Museum, the Williamstown Art
Conservation Centre and Massachusetts tourism. After
marrying John Staber she moved to Columbia County in the
Hudson River Valley of New York in 1991. She ran the
Spencertown Academy, a small arts centre, for almost nine
years. While there she founded the PantoLoons, a company of
actors who for the past eleven years have performed an original
annual (British/American) pantomime. Currently, she curates a
small art gallery in Old Chatham and serves on the boards of
both The Ghent Playhouse and the Chatham Education
Foundation.
Silverlands: Growing Up at the Actors’ Orphanage, with
eight pages of photographs, is available through
www.TBMbooks.com , www.amazon.com or directly from
Judy and John Staber’s website – www.jstaber.com.
$17.95 US and timely postage to the UK is approx. $11.
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