Noel and Gertie explores the lifelong friendship between Noel Coward and actress Gertrude Laurence in music, song and storytelling, in this devised entertainment by Sheridan Morley.
Through stellar performances from Gary Tushaw (Coward) and Rebecca Trehearne (Laurence), who keep the energy going throughout this two-hour show, we discover the close and special relationship between these two iconic performers.
For those of us looking back at Coward’s professional persona and his huge body of work, it might be hard to imagine what the man himself was really like. This show opens a door and invites the audience to step inside his life story told through conversations between Coward and Laurence and interspersed with extracts from some of his most well-known plays and songs.
With minimal set there are few distractions from the sparkling and witty dialogue, although the action is sometimes drowned by the music from versatile musicians Joey Hickman (piano) and Michaela Murphy (piano and accordion), who also play occasional supporting roles. All four performers frequently reposition the two upright pianos to different parts of the stage by way of scene changing, which looks like a feat of strength for the actors, and this ‘piano-ography’ sometimes upstages the dialogue.
The inner Art Deco proscenium arch forms a stage within a stage which comes into its own for the extract from ‘Red Peppers’, taking us back to the days of Music Hall, and reminding us that this style of song, dance and jokes, although long outdated now, was once the main source of entertainment for many.
Poignant moments bring depth to the piece when scenes from Private Lives and Brief Encounter segue seamlessly into glimpses into the private life of Coward himself. His personal emotions seem to be woven into the very fabric of all his work, be it a way of covertly expressing his private heartache, or light-hearted song and dance designed as a frivolous escape from real life. Coward’s lyrics and storylines perhaps echo his secret longings for the love he craved but which had to remain a secret. Joey Hickman’s rendition of ‘Mad About the Boy’, his only solo, delicately underlines the hidden love affair.
There were no ‘Mad Dogs and Englishmen’ nor did anyone go to a ‘Marvellous Party’ but there were plenty of other familiar songs including ‘Has Anybody Seen Our Ship?’, ‘Sail Away’ and the memorable ‘Someday I’ll Find You’ that tops and tails the show as Coward remembers his dearest friend, Gertrude. Tushaw and Trehearne whisk the audience back to the flamboyance and style of the 1920s and ‘30s as they sing, dance and act their way through this montage of vignettes, with great energy and aplomb, piecing together the lives of both Coward and Laurence, and how they intertwined as friends and confidants.
Noel and Gertie captures the spirit of the time as we get to know the man behind the dinner suit and omnipresent cigarette. It’s live theatre, with live actors and musicians coming to Blackpool Grand Theatre. Make the most of this opportunity and get yourself along to a performance before they move on.
Noel and Gertie is on at Blackpool Grand Theatre 15th to 18th October ending with a matinee on Saturday 18th. Tickets are available here
