Noël & Gertie

I didn’t expect impersonations but did rather hope for some of the magic of Noël Coward and Gertrude Lawrence in this resurrected revue from 1981. Coward, by then in his 80s, forbade the writer, his biographer Sheridan Morley, to mention his sexuality but his waspish hauteur, mentioned in the script, could still have been portrayed. His wit was sharp, often wounding, but Ben Stock plays him as jolly and a bit camp, petulant when angry. Helen Power, a versatile actress, dances well and both players sing better than the original stars so this makes for a pleasant if undramatic evening.

Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, 29 March 2017

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