eddington’s association with Noël Coward adopted a new strand at the Gala Evening jointly hosted by The Teddington

Theatre Club and The Noël Coward Society at the Hampton Hill Playhouse on Sunday 5th

July, when Penelope Keith CBE, DL was officially appointed as a Vice President of

The Noël Coward Society. Miss Keith and her husband attended a champagne reception

held in the Coward Room at the Playhouse where over 60 NCS members and members

of the Teddington Theatre Club applauded

her appointment. Miss Keith met many

members at the reception including two

new members from Cambridge

University - one of whom told us, “I

was so surprised that she spent all of

our time together asking about my

interest in Noël Coward, my future

plans and forthcoming entry into

drama college - she was so

interested in us! - it was

marvellous to meet her.”

Miss Keith was welcomed by NCS

Chairman Barbara Longford who said:

“Welcome to the tenth anniversary celebrations

of the Noël Coward Society and the

Teddington Theatre Club at the Hampton

Hill Playhouse. This event was conceived

about a year ago, when Jean Goodwin,

the club’s Artistic Chairman contacted

the Society and invited us to join their

celebrations. A Coward play, they

thought would be the most

appropriate and Roger Smith would be the best director for ‘Relative Values’

particularly as Roger had done much work, as Chairman, to help build this

excellent theatre. It’s very good to see the President of the theatre club, here

today – Eric Yardley. Eric is an old friend of our Society and he was responsible for

raising the funds – at least £850,000 - towards the building of this theatre. On behalf of

Society members, thank you to the staff of the Teddington Theatre Club, for helping us to host this

celebration and a particular thanks to the organiser – Sue Bell.

On the Society side, we are delighted that Alan and Alison Brodie

have been able to join us today. Alan is the Chairman of the Noël

Coward Foundation, which made a significant donation towards the

funding of this theatre and which also gives greatly valued

encouragement and funding to our own Society. Amongst our

distinguished members, I should like particularly to welcome Blanche

Blackwell and Michael Cox, as they were both personal friends of the

man we still call ‘The Master’.

Indeed, we are all honoured today to be joined by one of this

country’s best loved actresses– Miss Penelope Keith and her husband,

Mr Rodney Timson. Penelope starred in two of the most successful

situation comedies in entertainment history, first as Margot Ledbetter

in ‘The Good Life’ and later as Audrey Fforbes-Hamilton in ‘To the

Manor Born’ and this year she is celebrating 50 years in the

profession. Penelope must be one of the few actresses to have played

President: HRH The Duke of Kent, KG, GCMG, GCVO, ADCVice Presidents: Tammy Grimes • Penelope Keith CBE • Barry Day OBE • Stephen Fry

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE NOËL COWARD SOCIETY - AUGUST 2009

2009 • The Year of the Society’s 10th Anniversary

Free to members

of the Society

Price £2 ($4)

A Booking form is enclosed for our 10th Anniversary event at the Hurlingham Club

TPENELOPE KEITH appointed as Society Vice President

Gala Evening at the Noël Coward Room, the Hampton Hill Playhouse and RELATIVE VALUES

Penelope Keith as Judith Bliss in ‘Hay Fever’

Penelope Keith, Barbara Longford and Stephen Greenman

Penelope Keith and Eric Yardley

Dominic Vlasto and guests

Page 2

Amanda’ and I did that on the

television. I then played Judith Bliss

in London and a year later played

it on television and was reunited

with an actor with whom I had

worked off and on for four

years, Paul Eddington who

played David Bliss. So that

was a nice rounding of the

circle. I think after that I

did a concert version of

‘After The Ball’ with

opera singers - which

was fascinating. I

played the Duchess

of Bristol and that was

my only chance to be a

‘diseuse.’ Then we went on to

Chicago and did it there. I came

back and did a wireless

version of ‘A Suite in Three

Keys.’ I was then asked to

play Arcati and of course

leapt at the chance to

play it - the right age

this time.

And that was the

last Coward play I

did. I feel I have

come full circle

now and I suppose

the only progression is

‘Waiting in the Wings’ but I am

going to wait a few years. . . !

Meanwhile I feel very honoured to be your

Vice President, thank you so much for asking me.”

The evening was completed by a performance of the

Teddington Theatre Club’s production of Relative Values

Coward’s famed comedy of manners written in the 1950s and

built on a clash between the cultures of Hollywood and the

English aristocracy - to great effect.

A Gala Evening to be remembered!

both Amanda in ‘Private Lives’ and Madame Arcati, in ‘Blithe

Spirit’. And as well as her extensive work in the theatre,

Penelope is also the President of the Actors’ Benevolent fund, a

role she took over on the death of Lord Olivier. She served as

High Sheriff of Surrey from 2002 -2003 and is now Deputy

Lieutenant of the County. She was appointed C.B.E., in 2007.

Miss Keith was chosen to succeed the late Moira Lister, as

Vice President, by all our members because we feel that of all

the actresses who have played Coward in recent years, your

performances have best reflected the style and standards of

which Noël Coward himself would have wholeheartedly

approved.”

Stephen Greenman presented Miss Keith with her scroll of

appointment and a gift from the Noël Coward, London Office,

now part of the NCS Archive Collection.

Stephen said: “Members of the Society regard you as an

actress of high comedy par excellence and we are very

fortunate that you have performed so many of Noël Coward’s

signature roles including if I may say, the definitive

representation of Judith Bliss in ‘Hay Fever’ both on stage in

the West-End and for the BBC recording.

More recently as Madame Arcati, in ‘Blithe Spirit’ at the

Savoy Theatre, the critics were effusive and if I can paraphrase

Charles Spencer for a moment, he wrote:

‘With Penelope Keith, that most gloriously mannered of

theatrical grand dames, Madame Arcati, sniffs for ectoplasm

like a hungry hunting dog, throwing cucumber sandwiches

over her shoulder with mad abandon, making this comedy

about death still to die for.’

I believe we have cucumber sandwiches on the menu today

should the urge take you... on behalf of all our members it is

my very great honour and pleasure to present you with this

scroll to welcome you as Vice President of the Noël Coward

Society and this small gift, a first edition of Sir Noël’s only

novel: Pomp & Circumstance, as a memento of the occasion

today. Miss Keith, Welcome to the society and thank you.”

In reply Miss Keith said: “Thank you very much indeed I feel

very honoured to be a Vice President. I have been lucky enough

to play quite a few Coward roles in my time. When I was at

drama school I was in a production of ‘Still Life’ and I had the

wonderful part, Joyce Carey’s part, and one of the only things I

can remember about that was having to say, ‘cake or pastry?’

then when I went into rep., they did ‘Design for Living.’ I

didn’t play Gilda, I played the maid and I had to pick up the

telephone and say ‘allo’ and then go on saying ‘allo’ for about

five times.

However I progressed because when I went into rep. at

Cheltenham I played Madame Arcati, I think I was about 25 at

the time, and I remember thinking then, I need another bash at

this when I’ve had a little bit more experience. The next time I

spoke something from Coward was when I auditioned for the

Royal Shakespeare Company and I chipped in something from

the modern repertoire - an item I thought fitted the bill. I had

been reading some Noël Coward short stories and I lifted a

paragraph from a story.... called ‘Star Quality’ which was quite

rude about directors, I thought that might cheer them up. So I

chose that little knowing that I would be lucky enough to create

that part on stage some years later.

After that I played in ‘Fallen Angels’ with Fenella Fielding

at Watford and then I was really lucky. A marvellous producer

at the BBC phoned me up one day and said, ‘Would you like to

play Amanda?’ To my eternal shame I actually said to Cedric

(Messina), ‘Amanda who?’ But it did turn out to be ‘the

PHOTOS: taken by Andrew Weeks and John Knowles

and received from Miss Keith and Teddington Theatre Club.

Page 3

are hung with portraits of Francis Bacon, the Duke of Sussex

and the Marquis of Granby. There is a large Adam fireplace, a

Wedgewood ceiling and many tall gilt framed mirrors. Perhaps

not an ideal setting for a play written and placed in 1929,

nevertheless it was an intimate space and when Sibyl and Elyot

entered our disbelief was immediately suspended. Lizzy

Barber (Sybil) who gave a consistently estimable performance,

was wearing appropriate flapper clothing and pure silk

stockings and despite the potentially upsetting circumstances of

having to abandon the original set, she and Alexander Owen

(Elyot) gave us a fine opening scene and as they departed to

dress for dinner, Gertrude Lawrence’s recording of ‘Someday

I’ll Find You’ was playing.

Johan Munir, an utterly credible Victor, in dinner jacket and

wing collared bow tie, looked most distinctly in period, and,

with his jaunty moustache, like a young Ramon Novarro. His

clear and precise diction was a delight.

A surprising aspect of this production was the ferocity of

the quarrel scenes, which the cast attacked with enormous

passion and gusto. No actors I’ve previously seen have made

the arguments and fights quite so hot, raw and credible. Indeed

at one point I feared for Sybil’s health when she became

entangled trying to separate the warring Elyot and Amanda in

Act III. The initial quarrel between Sibyl and Elyot in Act I

was exciting and effective leading to the hilarious lines,

Sibyl: “mother was

perfectly right. She said you

had shifty eyes”.

Elyot: “Well, she can’t

talk. Hers are so close

together, you couldn’t put a

needle between them.”

Elizabeth Donnelly

(Amanda) and Alexander

Owen (Elyot) were a little

disappointing when acting

together in the incomparable

love scene of Act I. There

was a lack of rapport

between them and one

couldn’t believe they were

madly in love. Alex Owen

did not make the most of the

he most significant event in this our tenth anniversary

year must surely be the launch, by students of Trinity

College Cambridge, of their own branch of the Society.

When most of us have joined the feathered choir, these

talented young people will, to quote our distinguished

Vice President, Mr Barry Day; Balliol College, Oxford, “keep

the Coward flame burning.”

What a day they gave us! Such style. Such panache. Such

professionalism. And oh, the energy of youth. Members were

bowled over by the sheer joy the students brought to the

proceedings. This was one of our most pleasurable Society

events to date.

From the Society’s side, the protagonist was NCS

Secretary, Denys Robinson, himself a graduate of Brasenose

College, Oxford, who has been working with the students for

many months encouraging their interest in Coward and signing

them up for Society membership. From Trinity College,

Alexander Winterbotham took the lead; already the President

of the University’s Dryden Society, he masterminded the

productions and the development of the new faculty.

On Thursday 11th June thirty members made their way to

Cambridge on a sunny morning for a student performance of

‘Private Lives’ in the large, peaceful and immaculately kept

Fellows’ Garden of Trinity College. Alex Winterbotham, who

directed the play, was waiting to greet us and issue our tickets,

but within seconds our infamous British weather kicked in with

a vengeance. A huge cloudburst saw us all scuttling off

towards various trees underneath which sheltered diverse

groups of members clutching glistening umbrellas and trying to

behave with some sang

froid.

I saw some of the

actors, waiting in the

open air wings,

Elizabeth Donnelly

(Amanda) in a short

sleeveless silk dress,

high heels and stockings

and young gents in black

tie, with rapidly sodden

trouser legs. As the

deluge continued, a

performance in the open

air became out of the

question and the Rob

Mills’ set had to be

abandoned.

Members were then

guided out of the lovely gardens, across the Queen’s Road (the

Backs) and into the hallowed precincts of Trinity College; one

of the loveliest places in England. We waited outside the

College Hall, for the production team to reassemble the

furniture and props. Some members had dressed with distinct

panache. Anthony Skyrme, sporting his flamboyant mutton

chop whiskers, had dressed in white flannels, a striped 1930’s

period pullover, necktie and jaunty straw boater. Naturally, he

had been punting on the Cam before lunch.

When the stage set was reassembled, we entered the Old

Combination Room for the performances. The Georgian

windows of this elegant room overlook the quad and its walls

COWARD AT CAMBRIDGE The Launch of the Cambridge University Faculty of the Noël Coward Society

T

Alexander Winterbotham and Elizabeth Donnelly

Alexander Winterbotham

Elizabeth Donnelly

Page 4

sexual longing implicit in the line “There isn’t a particle of you

that I don’t know, remember, and want.” However, by the time

they reached Amanda’s apartment in Paris in Act II, they had

both become comfortable in their roles and the love and

passion were played for real. Now Elizabeth Donnelly had

grown into the role and was a convincing Amanda.

Incidentally, Elyot was unable to “look awfully sweet in your

little dressing-gown”, the line was cut as he wasn’t wearing

one. It may have been sodden in the earlier downpour.

Act II was particularly effective and very moving. There

were tears in my eyes when

Elyot spoke about his trip round

the world and all the beautiful

things he’d seen .... “scarlet

flamingoes flying over deep,

deep blue water. Breathlessly

lovely, and completely unexciting

because you weren’t there to see

them with me”. ‘You were There’

has always been my favourite

Coward song and Alex Owen

brought out the full poignancy of

that universally experienced loss.

Similarly with the lines about desire fading along with passion

and Amanda saying “Oh dear, shall we like that?” Elyot: “It

all depends on how well we’ve played”, Alex Owen

emphasised the enigma inherent in that thought.

This production allowed us to look at Private Lives afresh.

Members were particularly impressed to see a play with which

we are all so familiar, given a new interpretation by such gifted

young students.

After an interval of canapés and Pimms, we settled down to

watch the cabaret, which had been conceived to take place in

the Old Combination Room. Billed as

A Light Evening of Noël Coward’s Music, it

was produced by Elizabeth Donnelly and

Alexander Winterbotham, with the

assistance and advice of NCS music expert,

Dominic Vlasto. Johan Munir has a lovely

singing voice also and his ‘Nina’ was

delivered at full strength with great

confidence and was accompanied by a

dance by Jennie Dunne and Tadhgh Barwell

O’Connor. The sweet voices of Hannah

Blaikie and Charlotte Reid, a blonde and a

brunette both wearing short black silk

dresses with black shoes and stockings,

gave an attractive ‘Someday I’ll Find You’,

which was followed by a mature and self-

assured version of ‘I Wonder What

Happened to Him?’ with excellent timing

and use of pauses, by Simon Haines. Then

Lizzy Barber, who had been simply perfect

in the role of Sybil, sang ‘Mrs Worthington’, with a little too

much acting technique. The words of the song don’t really

need of such support. But her performance was very well

received. After a second interval, with more canapés and

bubbly, wearing a black dress and sequinned bolero Georgina

Hunt sang a version of ‘Mad About the Boy’, similar to that of

Julie London, with which I think Noël himself would have

been delighted.

The penultimate song was a pleasurable ‘Uncle Harry’,

performed by Alexander Winterbotham and then Denys

Robinson took the floor to deliver his vote of thanks.

Denys began by welcoming the Chairman of the Noël

Coward Society, Barbara Longford; the Treasurer, Stephen

Greenman and the Editor and Webmaster, John Knowles. He

then talked about another Committee member, Robert

Gardiner, who was unable to be present because as a Trustee of

the Noël Coward Foundation, Robert was attending a Trustees

Meeting at Les Avants. Robert had generously agreed to

underwrite the funding required for the launch of the

Cambridge faculty. However, because so many NCS members

had turned out, despite transport strikes, it was hoped that

Robert would not have to dig too

deeply into his own pockets. We all

expressed our appreciation for

Robert’s kind gesture. Denys then

credited Alexander Winterbotham,

Elizabeth Donnelly, Emily Tesh,

Salvador Lloret Farina and Rob

Mills with leading roles in setting

up the Cambridge branch. He also

thanked Joe Bunker for his skilled

piano accompaniment and Dominic

Vlasto, who was unable to be

present, for his expert musical

advice.

Denys talked about the characters of Victor and Sybil. In

this production they were by no means also rans and their

characters were given equal prominence with Elyot and

Amanda. This, said Denys, was a commendable aspect of

Alex’s production and was close to Coward’s intention. They

were not simply figures of fun and we were allowed today to

see matters clearly from their perspective.

Denys then read an extract from The Noël Coward Diaries,

as follows.

“Oh, how fortunate I was to have been

born poor. If Mother had been able to afford

to send me to private school, Eton and Oxford

or Cambridge, it would have probably set me

back years. I have always distrusted too much

education and intellectualism; it seems to me

that they are always dead wrong about things

that really matter................. I believe that had

my early formative years been passed in more

assured circumstances I might quite easily

have slipped into preciousness; as it was I

merely had to slip out of precociousness and

bring home the bacon.”

Member Stuart Griffiths, a former

President of the Oxford Union, referred to the

quotation later and commented that if Pinter,

Osborne or Stoppard had read English at

Oxford or Cambridge, in his opinion it would

have totally cramped their style and originality.

The evening concluded with ‘A Bar on the

Piccola Marina’, sung by Tadhgh Barwell O’Connor, with

accompanied movements mimed by Tamara Astor, who,

although tall, young and slim, did very well as the tipsy and

middle-aged Mrs Wentworth-Brewster.

On behalf of the Committee and members, a particular

thanks to Denys Robinson and Alex Winterbotham, who has

written to me to say “I can’t wait for more similar events to

take place in the future; I think this society branch has a huge

potential to attract a cult following and great acclaim.” Our

sentiments entirely.

Barbara Longford

Alexander Winterbotham, Lizzy Barber and

Johan Munir

Anthony Skyrme, Tamara Astor and Oliver Davey

Page 5

that I knew actually when I had been there for only a few days.

Principal among these was the abiding loyalty among

Australians to England.”

Kerry Hailstone and John Knowles

A pdf of the complete programme is available from the

Members’ Page on the newly redesigned NCS website at

www.noelcoward.net (members will have been informed of

the passwords for this part of the website in the letter they

received on joining or renewing their membership).

rogrammes are rarely scarcer

than this one from one of Noël

Coward's 1940 appearances in

Sydney. It was sent to Australian

NCS member, Kerry Hailstone

by a Sydney member of the Australian Noël

Coward Appreciation Society. The front

cover pen sketch captures Noël Coward as

he was for Australians in 1940. It is

interesting to see how the programme was

arranged with information on the object of

the fund-raising event to support those in

Britain made homeless by the bombing

during the Battle of Britain that took place

in the Summer and Autumn of 1940.

Coward writes in Future Indefinite:

“ My farewell performance in Sydney,

which closed my tour , was a special

matinée given in aid of the bombed-out

victims of the London blitzes. Lord Gowrie drove in a hundred

miles from the country to support it and all the leading artists

of Australia appeared willingly and gladly as theatre people

always do. It was a tremendous success and, with the help of

generous donations, a total of two thousand pounds was

raised.”

In the preface to the published book of the broadcasts he

made in Australia and New Zealand at this time, Australia

Visited, he wrote,

“My visit to Australia was a strange experience and a very

moving one. I

toured all the

states of that

unique continent

in seven weeks.

There was not

time to absorb

many details of

the war effort

there, but there

are some things

ORPHANS OF THE STORMA programme from a special matinee show featuring Noël Coward

during his war-time visit to Australia in1940.

P

Noël broadcasting in Australia

HOME CHAT ONLINE:This edition of Home Chat can be seen online at

http://www.noelcoward.net/members/members.html

together with recent back copies of the magazine.

This library of past editions will be extended to allow new

members to catch up on past articles and series pieces in

the magazine. Your password to access these pages is

included in your membership acceptance letter.

n Cole Lesley’s biography of Noël Coward he recalls the

joy felt by Noël with the initial success of his play I‘ll

Leave It to You.

“For the first time he found fans waiting for him

outside the stage door, as he had done in earlier years for

Pavlova, Gertie Millar or Lily Elsie. From then on unless he

was hopelessly late or for some other valid reason, he never

refused to give his autograph. ‘When I was young, I wanted

more than anything to be a star; when I became one I realised

it brought certain obligations. As long as there are people who

wait for my autograph, I shall give it. And if the day ever

comes when no one waits, I shall miss it dreadfully.’ the

unthinking behaviour of fellow-stars who brushed their

fans aside upset him. ‘You mark my words the day will

come...’ And it did for some of them; not for Noël.”

In earlier childhood days we know that Noël spent

hours perfecting his signature in preparation for the

stardom that he knew would come. The following story

gives an example of an early Coward signature that was

to develop into the unique autograph of Noël Coward.

Jean Goodwin, the Artistic Director of the

Teddington Theatre Club wrote an article in the latest

edition of the Teddington Theatre Club magazine about this

recent find amongst the items in their archive:

“A historical detective story this month. Found in our

script cupboard recently, together with books about Noël

Coward, a beautiful 1910 edition of ‘The Sleeping Beauty

and other fairy tales from the Old French,’ retold by

A.T.Quiller-Couch and Illustrated by Edmund Dulac. The

book bears the inscription:

‘To Mrs Clifford Mills with best love from all her

Rainbow Children - mortals and fairies - & with love from

those that take care of the children in their work - A book of

fairy tales - To one

who has written us a

beautiful new one -

Garrick Theatre 1915-

16’

It includes the

signature of Noël

Coward and Italia

Conti.

Mrs Clifford Mills

was a co-author (with

John Ramsey) of the

then highly popular

children’s play, ‘Where

the Rainbow Ends,’

which was premiered

in 1911 and performed

almost every

Christmas in various West End theatres until World War II.

After the war, it fell out of favour because of its overt Empire

content but is still in Samuel French’s play list today.

For the 1911 production, Italia Conti was asked to train the

children and this marked the beginnings of the Italia Conti

Academy. Noël Coward (aged 12) was in this as well as the

1915-16 production which was the subject of this presentation.

Coward went on to appear in the play until he was 22 at least,

obviously moving from a child to an adult role. At various

times, he appears in the play with Jack Hawkins and Gertrude

Lawrence.

The book has been put in our Coward display cabinet for

all to see. But if anyone can remember how we acquired this

precious item please let me know.” Jean Goodwin

The finely honed version of Coward’s autograph we know

was not the only signature he used.

In Barry Day’s book, The Letters of Noël Coward there are

singularly familiar sign-offs such as RABBIT’S BOTTOM and

Annamary Dickey to

intimates and of course

Noël, Noël, Noely and Noelie

and on later occasions,

Master.

A recent acquisition shows this signature of the Master on

two cards to the actress Stella Moray who in 1962 appeared as

Maimie Candijack, and understudied Elaine Stritch, in Sail

Away at London’s Savoy Theatre.

The dedication with shown above with Noël’s normal

signature is in a copy of The Theatrical Companion to Coward

sent to Stella at the time. The correspondence relates to the

sending and receiving of good wishes and a gift during the

production run. “Mr. Candyjack” [sic] is a reference to Elmer

Candijack, Stella’s stage husband in the show.

On his paintings Noël adopted an almost childlike signature

often painted in block capitals with a stiff-bristled filbert brush

but sometimes he used mixed upper and lower case letters. In

later paintings he occasionally used a version of his written

signature.

Although we know that his signature has been successfully

forged at times, its distinctive use of the dieresis and an

elongated ‘C’ across the ‘o’ of Noël plus the sweeping ‘N’ of

Noël and the long tail of the ‘d’ in Coward make a flowing and

unhesitant signature difficult for the copyist.

For Noël his signature was as much a statement about

himself as any of the other tools he applied to his iconic image

and trade.

Given Coward’s thoughts on signing autographs it was

interesting to note that at a recent Coward event at Pizza On

The Park a famous film actor refused to give his autograph...

mm... we haven’t seen him in much lately either...!John Knowles

Page 6

A SIGN OF THE TIMES A look at the signatures of Noël Coward and the story they tell . . .

I

Page 7

Jim and Bobi say that this is perhaps

the best revue they have ever seen. It

compares favourably with Oh Coward

and Cowardy Custard. John Abernal of the Windy City

Times put his appreciation of this hugely

successful show thus:

Fans of Noël 'The Master' Coward

will have a field day with this

effervescent new revue, handsomely

staged with simple elegance by David

Ira Goldstein and performed with stylish

authority by Mark Anders, Carl

Danielsen and gifted comedienne Anna

Lauris. Call it elan, brio, panache or

pizzazz, these three have it. Whether it's

Anders casually enunciating 'Mad Dogs

and Englishman' in a manner NOT

imitative of Coward, or Danielsen

sincerely rendering Coward's musical

epitaph 'If Love Were All,' or Lauris

climaxing Act I with Coward's musical

comedy burlesque, 'The Coconut Girl,'

there are treats aplenty.

And Coward isn't easy. Take his

lyrics for 'Don't Put Your Daughter on

the Stage, Mrs. Worthington' and 'Mrs.

Wentworth-Brewster' ( both performed

in the show ). Just when you expect a

line to end a quatrain with a rhyme, it

runs on to a second quatrain in a

different meter. Only Coward—writing

performance pieces for himself—could

compose music that perfectly matched

his witty but odd lyrics, often

incorporating key changes that sound

too studied and arch although

entertaining. Lacking formal musical

training, Coward never learned you

shouldn't do such things, not that he wouldn't have anyway. The

cast, backed by a bright trio, handles all with aplomb.

The show's roughly divided between specialties written for

revues and cabaret, and Coward's more serious incidental

songs and operetta numbers. The revue songs smack of ribaldry

and corn, albeit clever corn, for Coward very much was a

traditionalist whose heart never completely left the English

music hall. A Marvelous Party offers several lesser-known

revue gems such as 'What Ho! Mrs. Brisket,' the double

entendre 'Would You Like to Stick a Pin in My Balloon?' and

the aforementioned 'The Coconut Girl.' But apart from these unfamiliar revue tunes, A

Marvelous Party mostly replays Coward's greatest hits, and one wonders why.

There already are at least two other perfectly charming Coward revues, Cowardy

Custard and Oh, Coward. Why create another one if you aren't going to mine

substantially new territory? There's also one real misstep: the inclusion of Coward's

parody of Cole Porter's 'Let's Do It,' written by Coward for his 1950’s Las Vegas solo

act. The cast admits it doesn't play well today and offers updated parody lyrics of their

own. Why bother? Surely, for the show's penultimate number, they could have found a

suitable song by Coward himself?

Familiar as they may be, the Coward words and music are wonderful to hear and A

Marvelous Party does them proud. But it's odd how Coward's music so frequently is

A MARVELLOUS PARTYJim Griffith and Bobi Sanderson sent in these cuttings on this successful show that originated in Chicago,

written by Carl Danielsen, who also performs in the show

anthologized but rarely performed in

context. Wouldn't it be swell to see a full

production of ‘Bitter Sweet’ or

‘Conversation Piece’ or ‘Sail Away,’

rather than just hear songs from them?

John Abernal

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and fast for this edition of your

favourite magazine on the world of

Noël Coward. (Is this the only

magazine in the world dedicated to

the Master? Probably!)

In the next edition we look at

one of the less well-remembered

homes of Noël Coward - Bermuda.

Len Brown has researched

Noël’s Bermuda home and visited

the island with his wife Janice to

do - what he calls - ‘a little house-

hunting.’

The results, with extracts from

local journals, explores Spithead

Lodge (below) and the waterfront

property that became the studio

Watergate that Noël used as his

own bedroom.

to all those members, who returned

the ‘Expressions of Interest’ form.

The response was excellent, so the second tranche of deposit

has been paid to the club and this event is confirmed. Booking

is now open and a Booking Form is enclosed.

The Hurlingham Club (www.hurlinghamclub.org.uk) is

situated on the banks of the River Thames, in Fulham and is set

in 42 acres of magnificent grounds, with a striking Georgian

clubhouse. From before 1066 the lands of which Hurlingham

forms part belonged to the Bishops of London who had their

summer residence at Fulham Palace. In 1760, Dr William

Cadogan, a famous physician of his day and a friend of Garrick

and Sheridan, leased nine acres from the then Bishop on which

to build himself a “cottage”. This is the core of the present

Hurlingham House. In 1797 the lease was re-granted

to John Ellis, formerly of Jamaica who, in

1800, acquired the freehold with an

additional eleven acres. Mr Ellis

employed the architect George

Byfield (with Landscape advice from

Humphrey Repton) to enlarge the

‘cottage' into the neo-classic mansion

as we see it to-day. It is recorded that

George Canning, later Prime Minister,

used to visit the Ellises at Hurlingham

covering the distance from the House of

Commons in a gig with a fast

trotting horse in twenty minutes.

In 1807 the estate was sold to the 3rd Earl of

Egremont, a magnificent patron of the Arts

and the Turf, who, in 1820, sold it on to Mr John

Horsley Palmer, regarded as the greatest

financial expert of his time, who later became

Governor of the Bank of England. He added a further

sixteen acres to the property, the condition of which

was then described as dazzling!

Page 8

The Society’s 10th Anniversary Celebration ‘Don’t Put Your DaughterSaturday 10th October, 2009 • Black Tie • 5.45 p.m. – 8.45 p.m. • Optional Dinner at 9.p.m.

Our event will begin in the elegant Palm Court area, the

latest addition to the club’s premises with its towering palm

tree beneath an immense glass dome. We shall overlook the

fine croquet lawns which stretch out towards the banks of the

Thames. During the wine and canapés Reception, Barry Day’s

latest book The Essential Noël Coward Compendium, which is

due for publication at the end of September, will be launched

and our Vice President will be joining us and signing copies.

For this evening only members will be able to purchase

the book at a special discounted rate.

At 6.45 we repair to the

adjacent Mulgrave

Theatre for the evening’s

entertainment, which begins with a film by

John Knowles. Members will be able to take their

drinks into the theatre, which will be arranged in cabaret style.

This film entitled “Brief Encounters: selected images of

Noël Coward,” mirrors the intentions of Barry Day’s book by

providing film and video clips that are essential to the

understanding of the life and work of Noël Coward.

The centrepiece of the evening will be the Revue of Noël

Coward’s words and music, entirely presented by Members

themselves.

Dominic Vlasto is putting together a splendid and

entertaining display of the talents not only of our hero’s work

but also of the undoubted talents of many of our Members.

Those who saw the revue that was “thrown together” by

Dominic and Celia Cologne at our weekend House Party at

Burgh Island last year will remember the wide range of

material, and characterisations that marked that performance.

This time we have a brilliant young theatre technician, Rob

Mills, on the production team. We can certainly look forward

to something which will far surpass that.

THANK YOU

The Hurlingham Suite

Page 9

on the Stage’ at London’s Hurlingham Club

DO JOIN US, for what we hope will be a joyous and stylish occasion.

(The entrance to the Hurlingham Club is in Ranelagh Gardens, London SW6. The nearest tube station is Putney

Bridge and there is ample free and secure parking within the grounds.)

OPTIONAL DINNER • 9:00 pmMembers may stay on at the club for Dinner, which

will be served in the Palm Court area.

First courseGlazed Fig, Ricotta, Bayonne Ham & Toasted

Pinenut Salad, Walnut Oil DressingMain courseSeared Fillet of Red Mullet, Ratte Potatoes,

Charred Asparagus, Poached Langoustine,

Lobster Bisque, Carrot & Parsnip Crisp

PuddingWarm Lemon and Blueberry Pudding with

Clotted Cream Ice CreamTea, Coffee & Hurlingham chocolate mints

The cost of the above is £49.00 per person, including

VAT and Service charge. Wine is not included in the

price. There will be a vegetarian option.

Don’t Put Your Daughter on the Stage will not leave

you wondering whether we should or should not

be encouraging the theatrical trade - there is

certainly no lack of talent among our

members! We are particularly

looking forward to

catching a glimpse of

Celia Cologne in the

persona of Mrs. Wentworth-

Brewster, Elizabeth Donnelly as the

anguished diva Louisa, Martin Amherst Lock

delivering a Noël-ish “finger-wagging”, and Clive Montellier

promoting the very British values of the aristocracy and the Air

Force. The Revue will also showcase the talents of some of

our more recent, younger members in a classic song-and-dance

number, and features a wide selection of verse extracts along

the way.

The first part of the evening will end with the Presentation

of the Scroll of Honour marking His Royal Highness, The

Duke of Kent’s Presidency of the Society, which began in

2005, after the death of our former President, Sir John Mills,

CBE. We are delighted that Mr. Andrew Palmer, CMG, CVO

and his wife Davina have accepted our invitation to accept the

scroll on behalf of the Duke, who will be in Australia at the

time. Mr. Palmer was Private Secretary to HRH the Duke and

Duchess of Kent, from 1988 – 90, on secondment from the

Foreign and Commonwealth Office and when he retired from

the FCO, in 1996, the Duke invited him back into his

Household as Extra Equerry.

A ‘Vote of Thanks’ will conclude the first part of the evening.

The cost of the above is £65 per person.

Palm Court and Orangery

Page 10

n May 1, Houston Grand Opera gave the world

premiere of Brief Encounter, a two-act opera

by composer André Previn and librettist John

Caird that tells the unhappy tale, set in the

refreshments shop of an English railway

station, of an illicit, ultimately doomed love affair. The source

material for the opera is David Lean's 1945 film of the same

name; the movie screenplay, by Noël Coward, is itself an

adaptation of Coward's 1936 one-act, Still Life. The overall

cast to the opera's score is unreservedly sentimental, as befits a

romance set in the 1930s, but inadvertently evokes mid-

twentieth-century Broadway: the sweeping love motive heard

intermittently throughout the opera always brought "Make Our

Garden Grow" from Bernstein's Candide to mind. Previn and

Caird (who also directed) created arias that effectively distill

the interior agonies of the principal characters, but the opera is

less stirring than Lean's film, if only because the music offers

few challenges to the listener and the storyline remains close to

that of the movie while taking longer to unfold.

The cast was uniformly good. Elizabeth Futral played

Laura Jesson superbly: her rich, rounded singing was ideal for

the part, creating a sympathetic portrait of an intelligent,

sensitive woman, both lovely and pitiful in her predicament.

Nathan Gunn lent his bright, focused baritone to the role of

Alec Harvey, evoking both a lover's impetuousness and the

maturity of a middle-aged man.

Baritone Kim Josephson sang with warm resonance as

Laura's steadfast husband, Fred Jesson, who trusts and abides

throughout. Contralto Meredith Arwady, making her HGO

Brief Encounter, Houston Grand OperaReprinted courtesy of OPERA NEWS an article on André Previn’s opera BriefEncounter performed in May 2009 by HoustonGrand Opera, suggested by Geoffrey Johnson

Odebut, combined a large measure of deep-voiced Victorian

primness with a hint of flirtatious playfulness as Myrtle Bagot,

the railway shopkeeper; baritone Robert Orth, as ticket-checker

Albert Godby, Myrtle's love interest, complemented her

scrupulous respectability with playful working-class manners

and accent. As Laura's unwelcome train companion, Dolly

Messiter, soprano Rebekah Camm, an HGO Studio alumna,

prattled happily and obliviously, a properly strident contrast to

the mellow, disconsolate Laura.

A defining element of the story is the coming and going of

the trains that first bring Laura and Alec together but then

impose an unyielding schedule on their meetings. The

shortness of the lovers' time together — and their keen

awareness of its passing — were starkly emphasized by Bunny

Christie's set design, first with a huge clock face on the

downstage screen shown at the beginning of each act, then

with eleven large clocks on the walls of the set itself. Likewise,

chimes are the first sounds of the opera, and train noise in a

bustling string motive recurs throughout to mark the end of

each furtive meeting.

What the opera offers that the movie cannot are musical

explorations into the interior life of the characters. Laura's

soliloquy at the conclusion of Act I offers a dark, gripping

portrayal of her remorse that is made all the more poignant by

her recollection-recitation of her marriage vows on a single

high pitch. Alec's monologue of anxious expectation while

waiting for Laura, however, seemed more of a make-work solo

for the part that falls flat dramatically: he agonizes over

whether she will appear, and then she appears. Here, Previn

and Caird mean to add depth to Alec, who is seen almost

entirely through Laura's eyes in the movie. The more

successful fleshing out is that of Fred's character. By giving

him a scene of doubt and worry, Previn and Caird prepare

Fred's later lines of gratitude at Laura's return and underscore

the disastrous implications of her affair.

Ultimately, it is Laura's thoughts that we follow, and the

opera ends with a haunting glimpse of her perspective: while

she is warmly and gratefully reconciled to her life with Fred,

singing with him in the foreground, she simultaneously

remembers (hears) Alec, who sings in the background in

shadow. Nothing like this occurs in the movie, and that final

moment of irresolution between reconciliation and

remembrance offers a memorable piece of theater in Previn's

new opera. Gregory Barnett

[PHOTOS: Felix Sanchez, Courtesy of Houston Grand Opera]

Maquette of the set used in Brief Encounter

Elizabeth Futral and Nathan Gunn

Kim Josephson and Elizabeth Futral

Page 11

The Antaeus Academy Presents

“The Young Idea: The Next Generation CelebratesNoël Coward!”

Supported by a grant from the Noël Coward Foundation,

and guided by The Antaeus Company’s Artistic Director,

Jeanie Hackett, the Antaeus Academy embarked on The Young

Idea Project with the particular goals of training young actors

in the technical skills required to play Coward’s characters,

fostering love of Coward in young audiences, and providing

mentors for young directors interested in The Master.

Artistic Associate Cindy Marie Jenkins

(cindy@antaeus.org) was the coordinator for all events and

activities leading up to and including their first weekend of

presentations and workshops, The Young Idea: The Next

Generation Celebrates Noël Coward!, which took place at the

Deaf West Theatre in North Hollywood on June 26-28, 2009.

The weekend included six workshops: a presentation on

Coward the Man; a remarkable Coward the Crooner coaching

session; an exhibit on Coward the Spy; movie screenings of

Our Man in Havana, Brief Encounter, and John Knowles’s

video, I Like America; and a roundtable discussion on Coward

the Playwright.

IntensivesIn preparation for the readings, Antaeus matched the plays

with a Coward Mentor (Jonathan Lynn, Barry Creyton, and Art

Manke) and an upcoming, young director (Douglas Clayton,

Jessica Bard, and Kari Hayter). Each play had one day of

intensive rehearsal/exploration led by the mentor, then two

additional rehearsals with

the young director and

actors before the staged

reading. Each intensive

covered general technique

and skills (such as dialect),

then focused on its specific

Coward play.

Mentor Jonathan Lynn

commented on the process of the intensive for Hay Fever: “We

sat around the table and worked meticulously through the play,

stopping to consider what Coward might have intended with

every moment and looking to find the comic rather than the

dramatic choice.” When asked, “Do you have any advice for

the actors in this reading before they embark on their own?”,

Lynn replied, “The same advice I have for all actors in a

comedy: no characters should ever know they are funny.”

Events of the Coward Weekend

Coward the Man and I Like AmericaCoward the Man was the first event on Friday. About 30

people attended this half-hour talk by Kathy Williams, which

combined biographical notes on Coward from Ken Starrett,

along with quotes and visuals - images of the “Ten

Chimneys/Star Quality” panels, provided by Sean Malone, plus

some additional pictures of Coward, his family, and friends.

Immediately following the talk was the first west-coast

screening of I Like America, a 22-minute compilation of

Coward’s “home movies” of the Americas. This video, created

by John Knowles, was first seen in the U.S. last December

when Ken Starrett presented it at the The Paley Center for

Media in New York. I Like America was so well received that

a second screening was added on Sunday for members of the

Antaeus Company and audience who couldn't attend Friday's

screening. All attendees received handouts: their own copies of

the special I Like America edition of Home Chat and the

brochure from the Museum of Performance & Design with

gorgeous photos and descriptions of the exhibit, Star Quality:

The World of Noël Coward.

Readings of the Plays

For the readings of Hay Fever, Peace In Our Time, and

Easy Virtue, each cast was comprised primarily of Antaeus

Academy actors, aged 20-30. Nine Antaeus Company members

played “parental” roles, while 31 Academy and Young Guest

Actors played the “child” leading roles and supporting cast.

Quoting Cindy Marie Jenkins on the young-adult thread

that connects the three plays: “Each play in The Young Idea

Project hinges on one specific conflict: how can young

people’s ideals evolve and prosper when they are caught in the

very world which suffocates their parents?” We see the results

of late-adolescent children acting out against the wishes and

behaviors of their parents, or in the case of Peace in Our Time,

deceiving them to save all their lives. All the readings were

extremely well-presented.

Artistic Director Jeanie Hackett expressed the hope that

Antaeus will be able to expand The Young Idea Project, and

take one of the three plays to the next levels: a workshop

production, followed by a full production in the next season.

Coward on the Coast: August 2009

L to R: Raleigh Holmes (Hilda), Karianne Flaathen (Marion),

Joseph Delafield (John), Jocelyn Towne (Larita) and Ned Schmidtke (Col. Whittaker)

Jonathan Lynn and Douglas Clayton.

Page 12

Hay FeverDirector Douglas Clayton evoked a beautiful and hilarious

reading of this Coward favorite. In a post-show conversation,

young Californian actors talked about being taught about the

play’s central metaphor, which represents sanity, stability, and

civilized behavior: the importance of tea.

Director: Douglas Clayton • Mentor: Jonathan Lynn

Cast: Antaeus Company: Christina Pickles [Judith Bliss],

Robert Pine [David Bliss]. Antaeus Academy and Guests:

Brooke Bastinelli [Jackie Coryton], Etta Divine [Clara], Gabe

Diani [Simon Bliss], Drew Doyle [Richard Greatham],

Whitney Hudson [Stage Directions], Annie Melchor [Sorel

Bliss], Adam Meyer [Sandy Tyrell] & Adeye Sahran [Myra].

Peace in Our TimeIn what was very likely a U.S. Premiere, Peace in Our Time

was quite moving, and, atypical of Coward’s plays, delved

sharply into political matters. A number of older audience

members were heard commenting on how you would not think

this was a “Coward play” if you didn’t read his name in the

programme. Although grim and gritty, Peace in Our Time

presents the triumph of solidarity, courage, humor, and

determination over propaganda, brutality, terrorist tactics, and

military force.

When asked about her decision to place the central

character, Fred Shattock, at the edge of the stage, young

director Jessica Bard commented on the importance of him

visually grounding the action. Characters come and go (mainly

center stage), but Fred’s staunch presence in even his most

vulnerable moments proclaims: “London Pride!”

In 1947 when Peace in Our Time was first produced in

London, it opened to a dismal reception — English audiences

were war weary, and critics and audiences alike had a mindset

of Coward as the icon of the 1920-30’s, old fashioned, and

dated. Alternatively, many just wanted to see his early, funny

works.

More than half a century later, it may seem unlikely for a

young American cast to have a deep understanding of the

play’s themes; however, the young actors’ informed reading is

grounded in the fact that they have grown up during a

seemingly unending war, cursed in the last eight years with the

banal and stupefying evil of torture condoned by our own

government. Based on conversations at post-show events, this

play resonated deeply for young audience members, many of

whom had never heard of Coward before the weekend and

were quite vague about World War II.

Amazing performances by all concerned.

Director: Jessica Bard • Mentor: Barry Creyton

Cast: Antaeus Company: Josh Clark [Fred Shattock], Lily

Knight [Nora Shattock], Melinda Peterson [Mrs. Massiter],

Phil Proctor [Mr. Grainger], Sally Smythe [Mrs. Grainger];

Antaeus Academy & Guests: Josh Ansley [ensemble], Eric

Bloom [Alfie Blake], Kendra Chell [Janet Braid], Brett

Colbeth [Stevie], Etta Devine [Alma Broughton], Danielle

Doyen [Gladys Mott], Drew Doyle [Doctor Venning], Karianne

Flaathen [Lily Blake], Jeff Gardner [George Bourne],

Alexandra Goodman [Doris Shattock], Aaron Lyons [Richter],

Kellie Matteson [Lyia Vivian], Mark Moore [Chorley

Bannister], John O’Brien [Billy Grainger], Maria Pallas

[Phyllis Mere]. Whitney Hudson [Stage Directions].

Easy VirtueA challenging play to sell to a modern audience - especially

one that had potentially seen the movie based on this play and

might be anticipating broad comedy with an American Girl as

the lead. A melodrama with some comedic turns, Easy Virtue

was in several ways the most ambitious of the three readings,

as evidenced by its use of more scenery and staging.

From young director, Kari Hayter: “As a director, I had to

decide what was the most effective way to tell this story. It was

my goal to guide the actors through the text in an academic

setting AND a theatrical setting in order to have the most

effective understanding of the play in such a short amount of

time.” Dramaturgy Intern Monet Hurst-Mendoza prepared a

34-page “Dramaturgical Actor Packet” to assist Hayter in the

educational process for the young actors. Congratulations to

director, actors, and staff for a commendable job!

Director: Kari Hayter • Mentor: Art Manke

Cast: Rhonda Aldrich [Mrs. Whittaker], Ned Schmidtke

[Colonel Whittaker], Brett Colbeth [Furber, H. Petworth], Joe

Delafield [John], Wyatt Fenner [Bobby Coleman], Karianne

Flaathen [Marion], Amy Hendrickson [Nina Vansittart],

Raleigh Holmes [Hilda], Aaron Lyons [Charles Burleigh], John

Brooke Bastinelli and Jessica Bard

The cast of Easy Virtue

Adeye Sahran as Myra and Gabriel Diani as Simon Bliss.

Page 13

O’Brien [Philip Borden], Jason Thomas [Henry Furley],

Jocelyn Towne [Larita Whittaker], Rebekah Tripp [Sarah

Hurst], and Nicol Zanzarella –Giacalone [ensemble/Stage

Directions].

Workshops and Roundtables

Acting a Noël Coward Song

This gem of a workshop, taught by Harry Groener and Nike

Doukas (with additional coaching by Jeanie Hackett), educated

not only the participants but also the very fortunate audience.

One particularly bright moment: Harry teaching two Academy

actors a bit for “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” — head bent

back, face to the sky, to add a very dog-like bark at just the

right moment. Urged on by the insistent crowd, Harry brought

the audience to its knees with his performance of “Mrs.

Worthington” as a curtain call at the end of the workshop. A

post-script was a sing-along - introduced as “how the Coward

Society ends all its gatherings” - of "I'll See You Again".

Coward the Spy: Screening of Our Man in Havana and an

exhibit on Coward’s work in World War II. The preamble to

Peace in Our Time, this informal workshop presented both

serious and humorous background information on Coward’s

work in films and during WWII.

Coward on Film: Screening: Brief Encounter and I Like

America.

Coward the Playwright: Roundtable discussion led by Jeanie

Hackett.

Antaeus actors came together with directors and audience

members for an exchange of ideas on Coward's themes, world-

view, and acting style. Among the topics covered: participants

described best (and worst) productions they had seen of

Coward’s plays, and what made them good or bad. Several

young audience members mentioned that they had never heard

of Coward before the weekend, came to the theatre because of

a friend (or a friend of a friend in the cast), and were amazed

and captivated by what they experience.

On the World Wide WebIn addition to all that happened at the Deaf West Theatre,

Antaeus has published news of The Young Idea Project on the

web: you may find it in cyberspace from Facebook to Twitter

to YouTube. For many more details, including interviews with

the mentors, blogs, photos, and videos, see:

http://antaeuscompany.wordpress.com/

http://www.facebook.com/AntaeusTheater

One particularly hilarious, unplanned improvisational work

resulted when Academy actor Abby Wilde was not cast for any

of the three readings. She developed her own idea, which you

may view on Antaeus’s Facebook page or directly on YouTube

as a multi-part series, including Abby’s Wilde Idea: Part 1.

Noël Coward The Man, plus Antaeus Strikes Back.

Kathy WilliamsL to R: Anne Gee Byrd, Kitty Swink and Jeanie Hackett

A TALENT TO AMUSE - My thanks to everyone who has been in touch with offers of help to get Noël Coward’s

70th Birthday Celebration show, held at the Phoenix Theatre on December 16th, 1969, released as a CD. Stephen Greenman

has kindly agreed to receive any sponsorship money from members who wish to sponsor the CD. All payments should be

sent to Stephen Greenman. If sending a cheque, amounts should be made out to, ‘The Noël Coward Society’ with the words

‘A Talent to Amuse CD Sponsorship,’ on the back of the cheque. Payments may also be made by credit card (UK and US) or

debit card (UK only) via email or post (see Sponsor Form for Stephen Greenman’s contact details). All other queries to John

Knowles please.

Sponsors may have a track from the CD (see track listing in the last Home Chat) dedicated to themselves or to someone

they nominate, together with a short message. I am also offering a copy of Present Indicative - that remains from the auction

of the Coward collection of the late Stephen Marshall - as a draw prize for all of those who sponsor the CD. It is an American

1st edition with some wrinkling in the external surface of the coverboards - there is no dustjacket. It is signed on the title

page, “For Stephen Marshall - Noël Coward,” There is a small additional inscription in another hand on the flysheet

“Hollywood February 1964.”

A draw ticket in your name will be entered in the draw for each sponsorship amount of £20 - so a sponsorship amount of

£100 will entitle the sponsor to 5 draw tickets. The draw will take place on September 1st 2009 and the resulting sponsorship

amount raised will be published in the October Home Chat. Details of the winner will not be published.

Why not contribute to the realisation of a historic recording and have the chance to win a signed copy of Noël Coward’s

first autobiography. A sponsorship form is included in this edition of Home Chat. John Knowles

Page 14

n the last edition of Home Chat the story was poised at

the point when Granville was reluctantly leaving the

protection of the Actors’ Orphanage in its evacuation

home in New York to head back to England with the

uncertainty of a wartime Atlantic-crossing facing him.

The story continues:

The ship slipped her moorings and proceeded down river to

the sea. Slowly the New York skyline disappeared as I fought

back the tears . It was October 4th 1942, two years to the day

since the Actors’ Orphanage children landed in Canada and

now, once again, 3000 miles of very hostile Atlantic ocean lay

ahead. I loved America. Thank you, Uncle Sam.

MV Thorstrand was a very small German-owned ship

which had happened to be in a Norwegian port when the

Germans invaded the country; it was immediately

commandeered and sailed to England by a Norwegian crew.

Extra fuel tanks were fitted to enable it to cross the Atlantic

and thus far during the war it had made some twenty crossings.

The cargo holds were refrigerated as its original design was for

carrying fish from Norway to Germany. It was fast being able

to sustain a speed of eighteen knots.

New York had disappeared over the horizon, the night was

clear and the sea was calm but the ship was rolling

nevertheless. What, I wondered, would it be like when the sea

was rough? I had my own small cabin with wash basin which

was to prove invaluable later in the journey. At about seven

o’clock I went up to the small dining room and found just one

place left on the single table, next to the chief engineer who sat

at the top. Altogether there were ten around the table, the three

passengers eating with the ship’s officers. The captain did not

join us at any time , instead he remained on the bridge or in his

quarters nearby. The evening meal - and almost every

following meal - consisted of soused fish of some kind. There

were bowls of the stuff. The chief engineer, a large jovial man

who spoke reasonable English, would crunch up these

rollmops as a hedgehog crunches slugs. The very thought of

soused herring would turn my stomach even on dry land, but

when confronted with mounds of them on a rolling ship, that

was definitely it: I had to return to my cabin. The chief

engineer was a little concerned and he sent a young officer to

see me who, when I explained the problem, went to the galley

and fetched me some bread, cheese and a glass of milk. I

climbed on the bunk and cried; this was the start of a

nightmare. Just five weeks before there had been marvellous

hospitality on the Canby farm, and now, utter depression.

For the past twelve years the Actors’ Orphanage had been

my ‘other’ home, so was this the end or would we meet up

again some time in the future? I was the first of the evacuees to

be returning to England. The next morning dawned grey with a

choppy sea; the ship was travelling very slowly and rolling all

over the place. I went up for breakfast and managed a cup of

tea with half a slice of bread and jam. The jovial chief engineer

was sitting in his usual spot at the top of the table. John and

Betty, the other two passengers, were not looking too good

which, for some reason, made me feel a little better for

knowing they were suffering too.

“Why are we travelling so slowly?” John asked the Chief.

“So that we can rendezvous with the convoy,” he replied,

with a huge smile.

I went on deck but could see no other ships, just the grey

sea. I felt terrible and went back to my cabin where I stayed all

day. Three weeks of this would surely kill me, I thought.

The third day was a little better; clear skies and a calm sea,

shared now by two other ships. We were travelling slightly

faster and I managed to eat a breakfast of scrambled eggs,

keeping them down with a struggle. The Chief was all smiles,

as usual, and he told us not to worry saying the ship was far too

small to be hit by a torpedo, and too fast as well.

“Fast?” said John, “we are only crawling along.”

“Just wait for a couple of days, and then you will see

otherwise,” replied the Chief.

By evening the seas were quite big and I decided to try

some dinner. A special thick soup had been made for the

passengers, but the Chief and the officers stuck to pickled fish;

watching them eat turned me green.

The sea crashing against the ship woke me up the next day

when dawn was peeping through the porthole, but looking out

all I could see was the sky, then sea, then sky, then sea. I

struggled on deck before breakfast; there were many ships now

and U.S. Navy Catalina flying boats overhead. I thought I

would get used to the rolling and pitching, but there was no

chance for the ship had once again reduced speed. I returned to

the cabin after a cup of tea and a slice of toast.

There were many more ships on the fourth day, the nearest

being a big merchantman - we were now in a convoy. At

breakfast the Chief was beaming as usual.

“It’s bye-bye today,” he said, but did not elaborate.

Shortly, however, the captain signalled the next

merchantman after which our engines went to full speed.

Thorstrand turned south into the sun, leaving the convoy to

disappear over the horizon. Ships were not compelled to travel

in convoys, which always went at the speed of the slowest

ship, and the one we had left was travelling at seven knots. We,

on the other hand, were now at our full speed of eighteen

knots; no torpedo could possibly hit us unless by sheer fluke,

but if just one did get through we would have been blown to

smithereens.

The next thirty-six hours were sheer hell - where oh where

was that torpedo?

Eventually the storm abated and noticing that the ship had

slowed I went on deck. The sun was out and the sea more calm.

There was a lot of wreckage about and two lifeboats amongst

it. The captain checked them for survivors but they were both

empty. Mounted on the stern of the Thorstrand was a three-inch

calibre gun for defence against U-boats on the surface. When

the floundering lifeboat was six hundred yards astern, the

gunner decided to use it for target practice. Even at that range

he made a direct hit. This was encouraging but as all merchant

ships now carried a gun U-boats seldom surfaced to make their

attack.

I managed a little food before the next storm off the Irish

coast sent me back to my cabin again, but Liverpool was not

far away and land was already visible through the porthole. By

evening the ship had docked and it was bliss to be perfectly

still once more - for the first time in fifteen days - but I had lost

ten pounds in weight. It was the worst period in my life so far,

and even today, when a jar of pickled herrings is seen the

picture of a large jovial Norwegian engineer comes to my

mind.

The convoy we had left behind some nine days earlier had

suffered terribly; torpedo attacks had sunk many ships with

ILUCKY ORPHAN

The story concludes of the Actors’Orphanage from the memories ofGranville Bantock who attended the orphanage at Langley Hall andSilverlands and during its evacuation to America in World War II.

Page 15

much loss of life. It was a horrible, tragic period of the Atlantic

war and I was later saddened to learn that M.V. Thorstrand was

torpedoed and sunk with the loss of four lives in 1943.

After passing through customs at Liverpool and three train

journeys I arrived at Twickenham. there were no taxis but

Charlie was there with his barrow, so, with my cases loaded,

we walked to the bungalow and home. It was 20 October 1942.

My mother knew I had left New York and guessed I would

arrive any day - she was so excited. It was now back to the

blackout, food rationing and the occasional bomb; I was

shocked to see so much damage from the blitz. Two houses just

fifty yards from the bungalow had been flattened and the one

immediately next door had been hit by incendiary bombs. My

mother was concerned to see me so thin for she could have no

idea what I had just been through. “We’ll soon fatten you up,”

she said. But I thought that might be difficult with food

rationed as it was.

I was pleased to be back home but I missed Jane and the

other girls. It might, I thought be difficult to get established in

a social situation again, having been away for so long. It was

the first time I had lived at home since the age of 4 and now I

was three months from my seventeenth birthday. Uncle

Granville’s radio gramophone still worked and the records

were intact. The radio was marvellous; there were no adverts,

just hours of real uninterrupted music including of course,

Beethoven. After a good service my bike was back on the road,

my first journey to visit my cousin Gladys and her children in

Shepperton. They were all fine but very worried for Donald

who was fighting the Germans in North Africa. My mother

wanted me to start school as soon as possible, but first I had to

deliver Mr. Griffin’s large brown envelope to the secretary of

the Actors’ Orphanage. I resisted the temptation to steam it

open first. The secretary, now a Miss Rodda, was very pleased

to see me and wanted me to meet the committee at their next

meeting. Being the first of the children to return to England

there would be many questions they would ask.

It so happened that our neighbour taught French at a nearby

grammar school and he kindly arranged for me to meet the

headmaster. Tests were prepared for me, but it was soon

obvious that I had nowhere reached the standard attained by

other boys of my age. The head was unable to accommodate

me and he suggested a matriculation course at an evening

institute. I enrolled for classes in Richmond and started

immediately, but after just one week it was obvious that

catching up with the other students would be impossible.

One of the other students, Molly, was also finding things

difficult. We were the same age but she was exceptionally

mature; we became friends for a while. After the class I would

take her home on the crossbar of my bike searching for the

little gear in the ample folds of her bottom adding to the fun.

We would kiss goodnight, but it was never anything passionate.

My now knowing how far to go disappointed her and the

relationship fizzled out in the New Year.

By February it was obvious that my continuing with the

classes would waste the teacher’s time and the evening institute

became a thing of the past. At the same time that I had started

the classes, I found a job in a factory about five miles away.

The firm specialised in the manufacture of filters for all types

of liquids, but one of its major contracts was for the

construction of filters for army water tanks. I was employed as

a lab boy, washing up beakers and conducting routine tests on

Fullers Earth - the filtering medium. I progressed right through

the factory, spending time in all the workshops as well as the

drawing office. My year with the company was to stand me in

good stead.

Soon after arriving home I made an appointment to see the

Actors’ Orphanage dentist at Chertsey. He thought the

American dentist had been very hasty in extracting my front

teeth for the sake of cosmetic effect. He made me a very small

dental plate which was most comfortable to wear but without

clips it needed a lot of willpower to keep it in place.While I

was in Chertsey I toured the area on my bike including a visit

to Silverlands, finding that neither the building nor the ground

had changed since 54 children had left for America two years

earlier. There were no children playing around now, however

as the building was being used for quartering nurses employed

at nearby Botley’s hospital (now called St. Peter’s). The head

gardener, Bert Hazel, still lived in the bungalow near the main

gate; he and his wife were very pleased to see me and we

chatted for some time over tea and toast. They were fostering

some young children on behalf of the Actors’ Orphanage who

still owned the property. Mrs. Hazel was a kindly person and a

natural mother but she had four children of her own so the

small bungalow was bulging with youngsters of all ages. She

managed admirably though, and I kept in touch with her for

many years.

Just before Christmas, Miss Rodda asked me to attend a

meeting of the committee members at the office in Maiden

Lane, London. There were six ladies present and it felt a little

overwhelming, feeling that I was being grilled about rumours

that the children were misbehaving . I insisted that there was

no cause for concern as all the children were growing up and

behaving normally. I told the committee that the older girls,

who were now nearly eighteen, had moved from the

dormitories into rooms of their own in the main building of the

Foundation. What, I wondered did the committee mean by ‘bad

behaviour?’

Certainly the girls were causing no problems but perhaps

the Edwin Gould Foundation was becoming fed up with

housing some 54 English orphans who, after two years,

showed no sign of going home. Perhaps the Foundation feared

being lumbered with them until the war was over? Miss Rodda

expressed concern that a number of children had stopped

writing home, causing anxiety for their parents.

I suggested that any parent wishing to telephone me for

information about their child should do so, or if they preferred,

I would meet them. A number of them did telephone and I was

able to set their minds at rest. Over the following three years

several of the older boys and girls drifted back home to

England, but most of the younger ones were to remain at the

Foundation until the European war finished in May 1945. By

attending this meeting in 1942, my bond with the orphanage

finally broke, but I did see many of the children over the next

few years and I was able to make one final visit to the London

home in 1945. I never did find out what Mr. Griffin’s brown

envelope contained - a report on each and every one of us,

perhaps? Granville Bantock

Lost at sea at 19:17 on 6 March 1943

Home Chat is the newsletter of

The Noël Coward Society,

which is

generously funded by

The Noël Coward Foundation

Officers of the Society are:

Chairman: Barbara Longford

Secretary: Denys Robinson

Treasurer: Stephen Greenman

North American Director:

Ken Starrett

US West Coast Liaison:

Kathy Williams

Representative for Australia:

Robert Wickham

Representative for France:

Hélène Catsiapis

Unless otherwise stated all

images and text are copyright

to NC Aventales AG

Please send all correspondence

to:

The Editors,

29 Waldemar Avenue,

Hellesdon, Norwich,

NR6 6TB, UK

johnhunterknowles@mac.com

Tel: +44 (0)1603 486 188

Editors:

John Knowles (UK) and

Ken Starrett (US)

Design and Production:

John Knowles

Publication and Distribution:

Stephen Greenman

Music Correspondent:

Dominic Vlasto

Contributions are invited from

members of the Society.

The editor reserves the right

to edit all copy, images and

decide on inclusion of items.

Details included in

‘What’s On?’ 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.

For details of rights for

professional productions:

www.alanbrodie.com

For amateur productions

www.samuelfrench.com or

www.samuelfrench-

london.co.uk

For publishing rights:

www.methuen.co.uk

For music rights:

www.warnerchappell.co.uk

Details of some productions, publications and events

see www.noëlcoward.net and www.noëlcoward.com for more. . . WHAT’S ON?

THE NOËL COWARD SOCIETY WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS!If you would like to join the Society please contact:

Stephen Duckham: stephenduckham50@btinternet.com Tel: 02476 229502

In North America contact Ken Starrett: cowardusa@nyc.rr.com Tel: 00 1 212 877 4259

The Essential Noël Coward CompendiumNoël Coward was a prolific entertainer with over fifty plays and

musicals, songs, verse, two and a half volumes of autobiography,

books of quotations, a novel, diaries, and letters to his name. For

fans and newcomers to Coward's work, this compendium

represents the very best of Noël Coward in one entertaining

volume - with extracts from the best scenes from his plays, and

screenplays, songs, poems, and a entire short story. Brief extracts

are also included from his autobiography, diaries and letters,

caricature drawings, photographs, anecdotes and trivia. If you

only buy one book on Noël Coward, this book represents an

excellent tasting menu for those who want to sample the full

flavour of Coward. This edition is due out in the UK only on September 2009 •

ISBN 978-14081-08697 Full Price: £16.99.

It is hoped to release the book in the US in the Fall of 2010.

Dick Hyman Plays Weill, Duke, and Coward Inner City Records has announced the re-release of three albums by Dick Hyman. Never before

available on CD and quite rare even on vinyl. These are solo

recordings, and demonstrate an inventive, ingenious and playful

take on the great composers of the twentieth century. For Coward

fans there is the one reissue of note: Mad About the Boy - The

Music of Noël Coward. This album features 15 songs, including

“A Room With A View,” “Twentieth Century Blues," and “Dance,

Little Lady.” This recording garnered a personal postcard from

Coward to the performer, calling these takes “delightful.” When

these recordings were made in the early '50s, they were intended

to be part of a larger set, featuring the music of the twentieth

century's greatest writers of popular song. Available online at:

http://www.musicminusone.com at $16.95 and by order from

record stores. Dominic Vlasto is hoping to provide a review of this

re-release in a future edition of Home Chat.

Roundabout's Broadway Revival of Present Laughter American Airlines Theatre on January 2, with an official opening planned for January 21.

The Roundabout Theatre Company's production of Noël Coward's Present Laughter,

starring Victor Garber and directed by Nicholas Martin

The play focuses on Garry Essendine (Garber), a matinee idol whose life is turned upside

down as he struggles to plan a trip to Africa. Garber and Martin previously worked on a

production of the play for the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston.

Garber's stage credits include Sweeney Todd, Art, Arcadia, Damn Yankees, Assassins, A Little

Night Music, and Little Me. His many film and television credits include Alias, Eli Stone,

Legally Blonde, and Titanic.

Tonight at 8.30 - The Shaw Festival, OntarioCurrent to November 1st, 2009 - Ontario’s Shaw Festival is presenting all 10 plays that make

up Noel Coward’s “Tonight at 8:30” series, including the rarely produced Star Chamber. It will

mark the first time that all of the plays have been produced in repertory by a professional

company since their London debut at the Phoenix Theater in the 1935-36 season. The plays will

be presented in three groups, one at each of the Festival’s three theatres, and on two occasions

all 10 can be seen on a single day, in an event christened, Mad Dogs and Englishmen.

Web: http://www.shawfest.com