As bombs rained down on British cities and ‘the war to end all world wars’ forced the closure of London’s West End theatres, many of the great names of the day looked to Blackpool and its Grand Theatre to entertain the masses, bringing a fleeting sense of normality to a population living in an unpredictable world.
Due to its size and location, Blackpool was very much seen as a ‘safe haven’ during World War II. Far enough removed from blitz raids crippling many of the country’s large cities, the resort’s historic Grand Theatre continued to operate throughout the period from 1939 to 1945, raising morale and attracting some of the stage’s greatest stars, including James Mason, Alec Guinness and Vivien Leigh. All were regular visitors to the Church Street venue as it kept its doors open for the duration of the war.
One star who headed to the Lancashire town, however, shone brighter than the rest, writer, actor, director, film producer, painter, songwriter, cabaret artist and author, Noël Coward – already a lauded talent, no less than seven productions of his work kept theatre-goers in high spirits during the war years; Design For Living, Blithe Spirit (twice), Hay Fever, Present Laughter, This Happy Breed, and Private Lives.
The essence of that time returns to the Blackpool Grand this Autumn when not one, but two productions will allow audiences to once again slip back into the wonderfully witty world of Coward, as The Grand presents the heartfelt musical tribute, Noël & Gertie (15-18 October), and the devilishly funny comedy, Blithe Spirit (28 October-1 November).
In the first, explore the fascinating friendship shared by Coward and his long-time leading lady, Gertrude Lawrence. Noël & Gertie promises to whisk audiences back to the golden age of London’s West End, celebrating the special bond the two shared through a series of magical memories and musical numbers including songs from Private Lives and the classic Don’t Put Your Daughter on The Stage, Mrs Worthington.
Two weeks later, there’s a chance to see his hilarious supernatural comedy, Blithe Spirit, described by the man himself as an “iridescent bubble of fancy”. Arguably Coward’s most famous play, it has now bewitched audiences for more than 80 years with its razor-sharp script, chaotic charm and ghostly mischief and is the perfect ghostly tale for Hallowe’en.
When successful novelist Charles Condomine invites eccentric medium Madame Arcati to his home for a séance, things take an unexpected turn when the ghost of his glamorous and gloriously difficult first wife, Elvira, is accidentally summoned. As a battle of wills in life and the afterlife collide, well, chaos, cocktails and Coward at his sharpest ensue.
This new co-production between Blackpool Grand Theatre, Wiltshire Creative and theatrical producer Lee Dean, is the latest in a long line of productions of this spooky masterpiece to have played the Blackpool Grand stage; it first appeared on the 23rd February, 1942, and remarkably returned just six months later, when it returned as part of a ‘Play Parade’ alongside the World Premieres of two other Coward favourites, Present Laughter and This Happy Breed.
By choosing Blackpool to host the premieres of his new works, Coward, who would go on to gain a great reputation for entertaining the troops and even for acting as an unofficial spy for the Foreign Office, supported both the national morale and the tradition of British theatre, the town’s resilient and festive wartime atmosphere proving the perfect backdrop for his blend of wit, drama and patriotic purpose.
Coward, who was born in 1899 and enjoyed his breakthrough in 1924 with his play, The Vortex, which brought him fame both on London’s West End and New York’s Broadway, spent six evenings and three matinees performing on the stage of Blackpool’s Grand Theatre as part of the 1942 ‘Play Parade’, much to the delight of the 45,000 airmen billeted nearby and providing a distraction from the war for civilians, forces and evacuees alike.
His links to Blackpool can also be found in the Church of St Stephen on-the-Cliffs, on Holmfield Road, where his name is listed among theatrical benefactors on a panel in the Actors’ Chapel, while his connection to the Grand Theatre was further cemented in 1977 when, having been saved from demolition by the Friends of The Grand, the theatre reopened with a production of his play, Fallen Angels.
To discover more about Noël Coward and his wartime love affair with Blackpool, immerse yourself in Showtown Museum’s ‘Wartime Blackpool’, an exhibition in collaboration with The Grand, and as you take your seat for either Noël & Gertie or Blithe Spirit, or indeed both, allow a moment to look around and you may just hear the words of Coward himself, echoing through the decades, “The theatre is a wonderful place, a house of strange enchantment, a temple of illusion…”
Noël & Gertie, 15-18 October, 7.30pm, Thursday matinee 2pm, Saturday matinee 2.30pm | Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit, 28 October-1 November, 7.30pm, Thursday matinee 2pm, Saturday matinee 2.30pm | Grand Theatre, 33 Church Street, Blackpool FY1 1HT
Tickets here.
Commissioned by The Grand Theatre, Blackpool
