Noel Coward - FUTURE INDEFINITE

review by Maggie Perkovic on show 20th Jan
I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED NOEL COWARDS WORK, I HAVE BEEN IN AND DIRECTED HIS PLAYS, SUNG HIS SONGS IN ENTERTAINERS AND WATCHED HIS FILMS OVER THE YEARS, BUT I ALWAYS SUSPECTED THAT I WOULD NOT LIKE HIM VERY MUCH AS A PERSON, BUT HAVING READ THIS BOOK I AM SURE I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY IN HIS COMPANY.
HE WROTE THIS BOOK DURING THE WAR YEARS, 1939 - 1945. AS WAR BECAME INEVITABLE HE OFFERED HIMSELF AND HIS TALENT TO THE GOVERNMENT IN WHATEVER CAPACITY, PERHAPS WITH THE_NAVY WHICH WAS HIS FIRST LOVE BUT THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED THAT HIS TALENT COULD BE PUT TO BETTER USE BY TRAVELLING THE WORLD AND PROMOTING BRITAIN, AND HELPING THE WAR EFFORT.
HE WAS AT FIRST USED IN INTELLIGENCE WORK IN AN OFFICE IN PARIS, BUT OBVIOUSLY WITH THE SITUATION DETERIORATING HE LEFT AND AFTER SOME TRAVELLING ARRIVED BACK IN ENGLAND AND REALISED JUST HOW MUCH HE LOVED THIS COUNTRY, AS HE PUTS IT, SHABBY, RUN DOWN, UNDER SIEGE BUT THE CHARACTER AND RESILIENCE OF THE PEOPLE NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE HIM.
HE TRAVELLED ACROSS AMERICA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, BURMA,THE MIDDLE EAST, INDIA, THE SUB CONTINENT, ENTERTAINING KINGS QUEENS AND TROOPS AND DIGGERS IN FAR FLUNG PARTS OF THE EMPIRE, SEEMING Ly AS MUCH AT EASE IN EITHER COMPANY, HE WHO WAS ALSO GOOD FRIENDS WITH ROYALTY!!!
SOME THINGS STOOD OUT FOR ME IN THIS BOOK, HIS INTENSE PATRIOTISM WHICH OF COURSE ENDEARED HIM TO ME, HIS CAPACITY FOR STAGE FRIGHT, THIS TALENTED AND CLEVER MAN WAS ALWAYS AWARE, AS HE PUT IT, OF HIS LIMITATIONS, AND HOW BADLY THIS MAN WAS TREATED BY THE GOVERNMENT!!!
WHILE IN AMERICA, USING HIS OWN MONEY FOR EXPENSES, ALL HIS EARNINGS GOING TO THE WAR FUND HE WAS SUBPOENAED TO APPEAR IN COURT ACCUSED OF BREAKING A LAW MADE DURING THE WAR FORBIDDING *YOU TO MOVE MONEY OUT OF THE COUNTRY DURING THE CONFLICT.
THE FACT THAT HE DIDN*T KNOW WAS NO DEFENCE AND HE WAS FINED HEAVILY FOR THIS!!!!
THE NEWSPAPERS ALSO TENDED TO PICK UNFAIRLY ON HIM, SUGGESTING THAT HE WAS JUNKETING ABROAD WHILE THE BLITZ WAS ON, WHEN HE WAS WORKING REALLY HARD IN THE BACK OF BEYOND IN AUSTRALIA ON BEHALF OF THE WAR EFFORT!!!!
HE WAS IN LONDON DURING A RAID, AND DESPITE A BOMB FALLING ON HIS FLAT, ON A CAFE WHERE HE WAS DINING, HE ROSE AND JOINED WITHCAROLL LEVIS AND HIS BAND TO SING TO THE PUNTERS TO CALM THEM AND ONLY LEFT FOR FIRST AID WHEN THERE WAS NOTHING MORE HE COULD DO.
HE SEEMED AT EASE WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, AND WAS HAPPIEST SAILING THE SEAS ON THE VARIOUS NAVY VESSELS HE USED DURING HIS TRAVELS.
I LOVED THIS BOOK, HE DWELLS ON HIS PLAYS OF WHICH MANY HAVE BEEN FILMED *THIS HAPPY BREED* *IN WHICH WE SERVE*, *CAVALCADE* TO NAME A FEW, BUT THEATRE AND LIVE PERFORMANCE REMAINS HIS FIRST LOVE.
IT FINISHES IN 1945, I LOOK FORWARD TO ITS SEQUEL.
review by Mags