Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7351782 in Books
• Published on: 1932-01-01
• Binding: Hardcover
• 139 pages

Customer Reviews

Dated But Of Interest To Coward Fans & Theatre Historians
Noel Coward (1899-1973) is today best recalled for the acid-etched hilarity of such comedies as HAY FEVER, PRIVATE LIVES, BLITHE SPIRIT and DESIGN FOR LIVING--but possibly the play which was most successful during his lifetime was 1931's CAVALCADE, an epic drama depicting changes in England over the course of some thirty years. With an incredibly large cast and a sweeping storyline that encompassed everything from the death of Queen Victoria to the sinking of the Titanic, the play was received by London as celebration of all things British, was highly lauded by the critics, and did a tremendous business at the box office.

The play follows the fortunes of two families, the "upstairs" Marryots and the "downstairs" Bridges. With the dawn of the 20th Century, both families are swept into the Boer War--and from then from historical event to another, often with tragic results. Given the temper of the times, it is easy to see why the play was well received; even so, and in spite of its patriotic edges, CAVALCADE is a remarkably bitter play that ends not on a note celebration but of utter uncertainty.

It is also a remarkably dated play. Given the scope of the story, the characters inevitably feel superficial, and the episodic nature of the show's structure seems to creak at the joints. It is worth noting that there has never been a major revival of the play. There was, however a film: directed by Frank Lloyd and starring such notables as Diana Wynyard, Clive Brook, and Una O'Connor, the film follows the original playscript with remarkable accuracy, and although it too feels quite dated it nonetheless preserves an idea of what all the fuss was about.

Given its dated quality, this is not really a play that many will read for pleasure; still, it will be of great interest to serious play-readers, who will be impressed by its scope.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer
In memory of Cujo, 1992-2005
An Orange Cat and a Dear and Faithful Companion, Greatly Missed