The presentation will be live and online.
This talk will explore the depth and breadth of Noel Coward’s interpretation of the First World War and the imprint it left on the lives of ex-servicemen and home front civilians. Although Noël Coward never saw full service in the Great War, and his extremely brief experience of army life was somewhat traumatic, he nonetheless managed to achieve an amazing insight into the soul and temperament of soldiers. As was most clearly displayed in This Happy Breed (1939), Coward grasped that ex-servicemen had a highly complex understanding of the conflict, the value of camaraderie and how the war should be remembered. Moreover, he explored both the ‘khaki’ view of the war and that of the civilian.
In This Happy Breed and Cavalcade (1931), Coward revealed his sensitivity to the pressures the conflict exerted on everyday life and their lingering effects on the post-war world. In both plays the war is portrayed as a test which cuts across class and gender to winnow out the essential qualities of British national character. Pain, physical and mental, is admitted but is balanced by pride at having displayed the qualities of fortitude and endurance. Coward’s interpretation can be written-off as a C/conservative glossing over the realities of the war, but as so much testimony about the conflict reveals, his grasp was sure and reflected the insights gained by close observation of British society.
Members wishing to participate will need to register: details of how to register will be circulated via The Western Front Association's newsletter 'Trench Lines'. If you are not a subscriber to 'Trench Lines' please subscribe now.
To subscribe to Trench Lines, go to the home page of The Western Front Association web site and complete your details in the 'Newsletter sign up' box.
It is also possible to register by clicking this link: I think I was better off in the trenches
The talk will be undertaken using the 'Zoom' software which is freely available. It may not be necessary to load the software to your PC / iPad etc: but we would recommend doing so if you wish to participate in this event.