Paper Lantern Theatre Company presents Noel Coward’s ‘The Vortex’
Paper Lantern Theatre Company, who achieved sell out success with their production of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ by Tennessee Williams and ‘The Graduate’ by Terry Johnson and now following on from the acclaimed The Crucible by Arthur Miller, present The Vortex by Noel Coward. This revolutionary play, the first to be written by Coward in 1924, made his name and firmly established him as both a playwright and an actor. 24 year old Coward had to use all his cunning, talent and charm to convince the Lord Chamberlain, who had the absolute powers of theatrical censorship, not to ban the piece. The Vortex, with its depiction of sex and drugs in the Jazz Age, stunned the critics and caused a sensation within the theatre-going public.
Florence Lancaster is a glamorous socialite who has no intention of aging gracefully. Her son Nicky returns from Paris with both his fiancée Bunty… and a serious drug addiction.
As both mother and son begin to reveal their vulnerability what starts as a frothy comedy moves towards darker territory.
In The Vortex, Coward explores the darker side of the Cocktail Party set. Emotional blackmail, drug abuse and shattered relationships are minutely observed in this disturbing, early piece from a playwright whose sharp eye was more turned towards a lighter persona. Now in a world where there is constant pressure to be perfect, The Vortex is as relevant today as it was 80 years ago.
“How can we help ourselves. We swirl about in a vortex of beastliness,”
As pioneers of what has been termed ‘Filmic Theatre’, Paper Lantern promises to weave its signature theatrical stamp into this classic piece. Book tickets early to avoid disappointment.