Cavalcade (play)
Encyclopedia
Cavalcade is a play by Noël Coward
. It focuses on three decades in the life of the Marryotts, a quintessential British
family, and their servants, beginning at the start of the 20th century and ending on New Year's Eve
in 1929.
The play premiered in London in 1931 at the large Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
. The spectacular production involved a huge cast and massive sets. The play was very successful and ran for almost a year.
production of Private Lives
, finding inspiration in back issues of The Illustrated London News he had brought to New York City
with him expressly for that purpose. He also drew on his personal memories for many of the twenty-two scenes in the three-act play.
After returning to London
, Coward continued to work on the play. Knowing the size and scope of the project would require as large a venue as possible, he and designer Gladys Calthrop
inspected Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
and found it to be ideal due to the depth of the stage, the width and height of the proscenium
, the various lighting and flying effects that could be achieved, and the six hydraulic lifts
that could be utilized to move scenery easily. While Calthrop began the task of designing hundreds of costumes and dozens of sets, Coward worked on the script, which he completed in August 1931. Rehearsals began the following month.
With four hundred cast and crew members involved in the production, Coward divided the crowd into groups of twenty and assigned each a leader. Because remembering individual names would be impossible, everyone was given a color and number for easy identification, thus allowing Coward to direct "#7 red" to cross downstage and shake hands with "#15 yellow and black." Extras were encouraged to create their own bits of stage business, as long as it didn't draw focus from the primary action of the scene.
Starring Mary Clare
and Edward Sinclair
as the Marryot parents and featuring John Mills
, Moya Nugent, Arthur Macrae, and Maidie Andrews in supporting roles, Cavalcade premiered on 13 October 1931. Despite a brief delay caused by a mechanical problem early in the first act, the performance was an unqualified success, and the play went on to become one of the year's biggest West End
successes. The play ended its run in September 1932.
Opening as it did just prior to the British General Election
. the play's strongly patriotic themes were credited by the Conservative Party
for helping them secure a large percentage of the middle class
votes, despite the fact Coward had conceived the project a full year before the election was held, and the playwright strenuously denied having any motivation to influence its outcome. King George V
and Queen Mary
attended the performance on election night and received Coward in the Royal Box
during the second interval
.
Owing to the size and sheer cost of production, Cavalcade has not been staged in anything remotely like its original form ever since its initial production. The few revivals there have been have trimmed a number of the more spectacular scenes, in particular the finale with its multiple lighting and sound effects depicting industrial and social chaos.
, and the London premiere followed in March.It won the Oscar for best picture.
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy...
. It focuses on three decades in the life of the Marryotts, a quintessential British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
family, and their servants, beginning at the start of the 20th century and ending on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
in 1929.
The play premiered in London in 1931 at the large Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
. The spectacular production involved a huge cast and massive sets. The play was very successful and ran for almost a year.
Background
Coward began researching the project while appearing in the BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production of Private Lives
Private Lives
Private Lives is a 1930 comedy of manners in three acts by Noël Coward. It focuses on a divorced couple who discover that they are honeymooning with their new spouses in neighbouring rooms at the same hotel. Despite a perpetually stormy relationship, they realise that they still have feelings for...
, finding inspiration in back issues of The Illustrated London News he had brought to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with him expressly for that purpose. He also drew on his personal memories for many of the twenty-two scenes in the three-act play.
After returning to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Coward continued to work on the play. Knowing the size and scope of the project would require as large a venue as possible, he and designer Gladys Calthrop
Gladys Calthrop
Gladys E. Calthrop was an artist and leading British stage designer. She is best known as the set and costume designer for many of Noël Coward's plays and musicals.-Life and career:...
inspected Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
and found it to be ideal due to the depth of the stage, the width and height of the proscenium
Proscenium
A proscenium theatre is a theatre space whose primary feature is a large frame or arch , which is located at or near the front of the stage...
, the various lighting and flying effects that could be achieved, and the six hydraulic lifts
Hydraulics
Hydraulics is a topic in applied science and engineering dealing with the mechanical properties of liquids. Fluid mechanics provides the theoretical foundation for hydraulics, which focuses on the engineering uses of fluid properties. In fluid power, hydraulics is used for the generation, control,...
that could be utilized to move scenery easily. While Calthrop began the task of designing hundreds of costumes and dozens of sets, Coward worked on the script, which he completed in August 1931. Rehearsals began the following month.
With four hundred cast and crew members involved in the production, Coward divided the crowd into groups of twenty and assigned each a leader. Because remembering individual names would be impossible, everyone was given a color and number for easy identification, thus allowing Coward to direct "#7 red" to cross downstage and shake hands with "#15 yellow and black." Extras were encouraged to create their own bits of stage business, as long as it didn't draw focus from the primary action of the scene.
Starring Mary Clare
Mary Clare
Mary Clare was a British actress who performed in films, on the stage, and later on television.-Biography:...
and Edward Sinclair
Edward Sinclair
Edward "Teddy" Sinclair was a British actor most famous for his role as the verger Maurice Yeatman in Dad's Army. He also made appearances in Z Cars and Danger Man.Edward's father was the son of a stage actor who died when he was 14...
as the Marryot parents and featuring John Mills
John Mills
Sir John Mills CBE , born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills, was an English actor who made more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades.-Life and career:...
, Moya Nugent, Arthur Macrae, and Maidie Andrews in supporting roles, Cavalcade premiered on 13 October 1931. Despite a brief delay caused by a mechanical problem early in the first act, the performance was an unqualified success, and the play went on to become one of the year's biggest West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
successes. The play ended its run in September 1932.
Opening as it did just prior to the British General Election
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
. the play's strongly patriotic themes were credited by the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
for helping them secure a large percentage of the middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
votes, despite the fact Coward had conceived the project a full year before the election was held, and the playwright strenuously denied having any motivation to influence its outcome. King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
and Queen Mary
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
attended the performance on election night and received Coward in the Royal Box
Box (theatre)
In theater, a box is a small, separated seating area in the auditorium for a limited number of people.Boxes are typically placed immediately to the front, side and above the level of the stage. They are often separate rooms with an open viewing area which typically seat five people or fewer. ...
during the second interval
Intermission
An intermission or interval is a recess between parts of a performance or production, such as for a theatrical play, opera, concert, or film screening....
.
Owing to the size and sheer cost of production, Cavalcade has not been staged in anything remotely like its original form ever since its initial production. The few revivals there have been have trimmed a number of the more spectacular scenes, in particular the finale with its multiple lighting and sound effects depicting industrial and social chaos.
Film adaptation
In January 1933, the critically acclaimed film adaptation premiered in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the London premiere followed in March.It won the Oscar for best picture.