Sunday, April 23, 2023

Play review - "Cavalcade" by Noel Coward (warning: spoilers)

 This must have been fun on stage with its songs, pagentry, spectacle, cast. it's a series of short scenes, almost cinematic, although with big time leaps. The two scenes with the deaths of the sons have neat tags - the couple chatting how much they love each other then the cute reveal of the Titanic sign and playing 'Neared to God of Thee', then the Armistice Day scene with the two mothers talking about their children's romance then the news of the armistice and the telegram announcing death. I'd forgotten that the play doesn't end on the famous toast but rather the song 20th Century Blues, which is very different.

It's a piece of its time but was a bold choice of Coward and like I say must've been terrific to see.

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