Hello Again
I have never ceased to be amazed by what you find and lose when you are moving house.
Our move to Deal has been no exception as items that we thought long lost suddenly showed up again.
One of these items was a recording of Noel Coward and Gertrude Lawrence which I purchased from the Arcade many moons ago.
Seriously I had not seen it for years and thought it might have been borrowed or even accidentally donated
But there it was with my Terry Jacks and Donny Osmond albums as bold as brass. I thought that my Hay Fever tablets had become stronger or that I had swallowed too much sea water whilst swimming.
The cover showed Noel and Gertie about to kiss as he was playing the piano, although they are clearly fencing. The photograph had been taken during the Broadway production of Private Lives which Noel wrote in 1930. It is a play in three acts about a divorced couple honeymooning with their new spouses. By accident, they are given adjacent rooms which is bad news as Elyot and Amanda (Noel and Gertie) had a very stormy relationship and had divorced five years earlier.
In the course of the play, all kinds of things happen and in the end, Elyot and Amanda get together again. Their spouses, Victor and Sybil (played by Laurence Olivier and Adrianne Allen) also appear suited for each other. This said, they bicker as much as Elyot and Amanda.
Sadly, although I have seen other plays by Noel, I have not seen Private Lives which is something I regret. The play also contained one of Noel’s best loved songs, Some Day I’ll Find You. My record is not an original and dates from after 1952 as it mentions Gertrude’s early death on the sleeve.
Although Private Lives is featured, there are a number of other Coward songs which feature the French singer and actress, Yvonne Printemps. One of my favourites, Mad Dogs and Englishmen is also included.
During the recent fine spell, we took Noel and Gertie to the beach along with my portable record player. The evening was beginning to draw in, although the temperature was still around twenty-five. People were still in the sea and there were a number of people sharing cocktails and the like on the beach. Although I did not have it turned up too loud, I think that Noel and his friends added to the ambience of this lovely evening.
I can remember during a grandchild free moment that I closed my eyes and imagined that we were in inter-war France. Perhaps in Deauville where the play is partially set or, in the south as this evening with its special light reminded me very much of this beautiful part of France. Sadly this is an era that has passed and Noel’s work seems to the new generations, quite old fashioned and quaint.
But before one writes off Noel completely, one must realise that this brilliant man also wrote and co-directed In Which We Serve (1942) which was a million miles away from the likes of Private Lives and Blithe Spirit.
My trip to 1930s France was as you can imagine, short lived as Damien had returned and decided that tipping fine sand on to my face would be great fun.
I returned from 1930s France to Deal in 2020 faster than the speed of light much to the amusement of the seagulls.
Although I have not seen recordings by Noel and his pals recently, they do show up frequently in the Arcade. If you do find one then purchase it and I guarantee that you will like the contents.
My record is so popular that it is currently on loan to a friend who lives in an apartment which overlooks the sea. He and Robin have told me that they might dance to Noel’s songs which might attract a little attention from the passing dog walkers.
I might not be as silly as that, but I might just sing along to some of Noel’s unforgettable songs.
Who knows.
Happy Hunting
Stuart Miller-Osborne
