Background

Written in 1946, No�l Coward's Peace in Our Time opened 63 years ago at the Theatre Royal, Brighton (July 15, 1947), moved to the Lyric Theatre, London on July 22, then to the Aldwych Theatre on September 29, where it ran for 167 performances.  Although it has been referred to as a "flop", Coward called it a "moderate success" in his introduction to Play Parade, Volume Five.

Quoting W. A. Darlington (from Mander and Mitchenson's Theatrical Companion to Coward) in the Daily Telegraph, 21 July 1947:

Is there any one of us who lived in these islands during the war who has not at some time tried to imagine what would have happened here if the Battle of Britain has been lost and a successful German invasion made?  If so, he will perhaps not be interested in Peace in Our Time, No�l Coward's new play at the Lyric, which sets out to show us what occupied Britain would have been like.  For the rest of us, the play is one long thrill.

Sheridan Morley comments in his introduction to No�l Coward Collected Plays: Seven, "For No�l, who had once been on a Nazi blacklist [people to be immediately killed] in the event of a real invasion of Britain, the play raised many important issues of courage and cowardice under occupation...."  In his lyrics to 'Time and Again' -- not one of the songs used in this production -- Coward jokes about "possessing moral fibres."  For Peace in Our Time, moral fibre is no laughing matter: the play is all about just who has and who lacks that quality. Class distinctions, often front and center in defining who is heroic and who is not, are swept away.  An inclusive "London Pride" (as Benjamin Franklin once said, "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately") dominates the moral landscape: Fred Shattock, the pub's proprietor, and Janet Braid, an upper middle class writer, staunchly defend all Britons and their rights to life, liberty, and disparate political points of view. Specifically, Fred and Janet support and defend Jews and Communists (most decidedly not your stereotypical Cowardian viewpoint).  This is probably as close as Coward ever gets to Waiting for Lefty (a 1930's political play by Clifford Odets) and may have, in 1947, confused his conservative fans, bewildered his liberal followers, and most likely irritated some nascent "angry young men" eager to claim that viewpoint as their own invention.  Coward disavowed political convictions, but his characters most certainly have them.

The action of the play takes place in the saloon bar of The Shy Gazelle, a fictional public house in the Knightsbridge district in London.  (For those who are not familiar with pub architecture and culture, a quick glance at Wikipedia establishes the pub as a focal point for a community and illuminates the differences between a "saloon bar" and the "public room" in a pub - primarily, a saloon bar is pricier and provides entertainment, most often music.) Like tea in Hay Fever, the pub setting for the play grounds Peace in quintessential Englishness.

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Synopsis (with Musical Numbers)

"Every Blitz your resistance toughening, from the Ritz to the Anchor and Crown..."

The play spans November 1940 to June 1945.  All action takes place in the saloon bar of The Shy Gazelle.  A chalkboard at the entrance to the pub announces the date  (the barmaid writes a new date at the beginning of each scene.)  The performance begins with 'London Pride':  singing in the saloon bar, cabaret artist Lyia Vivian grounds the time and place (1940, post-invasion London) and through song presents the central themes of the play -- resistance to tyranny and the resilience of Britons.

Act I

Scene 1. November 1940. 

"But don't let's be beastly to the Hun."

The Battle of Britain has been lost; Nazis now rule, although with a somewhat restrained "Good-behavior Policy" rather than an immediately heavy-handed touch (slaughter, pillage, and rape).  In The Shy Gazelle, publican Fred Shattock and his wife Nora, plus their attractive daughter Doris, greet various regular customers, including cabaret artist Lyia Vivian; her boyfriend, George Bourne; a pleasant middle-aged couple, Mr. and Mrs. Grainger; Janet Braid, a writer; and Chorley Bannister, a magazine editor whose oily collaboration with the Nazis sets him at odds with the rest of the customers. In particular, Janet and Chorley fight about ideals and right behavior every time they meet.

(Mid-scene.) To jolly up the customers, Fred sings 'Don't Let's Be Beastly to the Germans', breaking off abruptly at the entrance of a well-dressed German (Albrecht Richter). Richter's presence halts all conversation and song.  He drinks a whiskey and soda while eyeing the sheet music on the piano and picking out the tune of 'Don't Let's Be Beastly' with one finger; ignored by the other customers, he says good-bye and leaves. Disagreement continues about accommodating the Germans; the arguments are cut short by a radio broadcast of the nine o'clock news, which highlights a military parade led by the F�hrer, Goebels, etc. 

Scene 2. June 1941.

"Most of every hour of every day, I'm thinking of you"

Phyllis, the barmaid, tells Fred about ordinary folks acting out against the Germans. Mr. Grainger shows Fred a news photo of the royal family under house arrest at Windsor castle, then laments that he and his wife haven't heard from their son, Billy (a POW), for a long time. Another bar regular, Alma Broughton, enters, upset because a Jewish tailor whom she knows has been taken away.  Fred advises some compromise is in order.  Lyia announces she is putting in two new numbers in her show that night and dedicates 'Most of Every Day' to  "...our gallant boys in uniform." More customers descend from the upstairs luncheon room, Richter among them, in uniform with a swastika armband.  He offers brandy (now unavailable to non-Germans) to Bannister, Bourne, and Lyia, then toasts: "Heil, Hitler!"  Bourne rebukes him for this "psychological error", explaining that "defeat is an attitude of mind and the English have not yet acquired it."  Richter controls his temper and accepts a humorous toast to "Epp's Cocoa."  (Bourne explains the comforting childhood memories Epp's invokes.)

Scene 3. January 1942.

"Let's grab every opportunity we can"

Two newcomers to The Shy Gazelle -- actor Bobby Paxton and an obvious tart, Gladys Mott -- join Chorley Bannister in a bouncy rendition by the three collaborationists of "Let's Live Dangerously." The dangerous activities of the customers include Gladys consorting with a young German soldier; Bobby flirting outrageously with Chorley, who pretends not to notice; and another newcomer, Alfie Blake struggling with the Gestapo: he can't find his identity card (Doris helps him find it in his mac.) Learning that the bar is out of everything but rum, Richter offers to supply gin "for special customers", and Fred dangerously, but politely, turns him down. Their talk turns political, and Fred takes a jab at Richter, "Like so many foreigners, Mr. Richter, you speak English better than you understand it."  Most customers drift out at closing time, and as the Shattocks are closing up for the night, a wounded young man staggers in.  It is Billy Grainger, on the run from Stalag 23 on the Isle of Wight. He asks where to find his parents, then collapses, faint from torture, exhaustion, and starvation.  Doris fetches Dr. Venning, who treats Billy, discovers the letters "K.G." (Kriegsgefangener) branded into his forehead, and offers up a plan for plastic surgery and a new identity for Billy.  Dr. Venning warns the Shattocks against telling the Graingers that their boy is alive, and exits with Billy. Nora Shattock, shocked by the sight of the tortured lad, sobs that she's glad her son Stevie was killed rather than imprisoned and tortured.

Scene 4. February 1942.

"London town is a wonderful place to be"

Mr. Grainger's bouncy rendition of  "London Is a Little Bit of All Right" presages good news he receives from Doris.  Advised by Dr. Venning that it's all right to let the Graingers know that Billy is alive and well -- but not where he is or where the information came from -- Doris tells Mr. Grainger about Bobby, and says Mr. G. can tell Mrs. Grainger when they are at home along.  The Graingers exit cheerfully together.  Alfie and Lily Blake argue about who would do what if "little old 'Itler come in this very minute."  (Lily says she would run like hell. Alfie says she's no Englishwoman.) The Blakes exit. Barking is heard from the mews; Doris goes out to quiet their dog, Nipper.  Fred and Nora argue about taking action like Dr. Venning, versus being careful.  Nora brings up their son, Stevie, and how if he were alive he'd being doing something, just like Dr. Venning.  Doris returns and tries to break the news gently to her parents that Stevie is alive, and in fact, is here.  Stevie enters and hugs Nora, who breaks down in sobs.  By mentioning 'Dunkirk', Stevie and Doris establish that they both work for the Resistance, to the shock and dismay of their parents. Stevie, who has assumed a new identity, asks the family to burn all photos of him.  He predicts the arrival of the Americans, etc. in an invasion to reclaim Britain, and that even if it takes years to plan and execute, the invasion will be "The Beginning for us, and the Beginning of the End for them (the Germans)."

Act II

"Or, failing that, a hand grenade would do..."

Three years have passed.  Invasion is imminent, which is a good thing because although morale is running high, supplies are running low. Symbolically, the pub is reduced to serving "Stubbs' Special" - a nasty, but potent, concoction.

Scene 1. January 1945.

"We've got some ammunition, in rather damp condition..."

Mr. and Mrs. Grainger open with a love duet "Where are the Songs?", celebrating their renewed joy in each other and in life, knowing their son Billy is alive. The customers in the bar are toughing it out with "Stubbs' Specials" and putting up with more Germans, that is to say, Austrians.  Fred sings to lighten their spirits again, this time with  "Could You Please Oblige Us with a Bren Gun?"

The Shattocks and their customers are listening to a radio broadcast from Invasion Headquarters in Europe (speaking in an American accent) about Allied victories when Doris must abruptly switch it off.  Chorley Bannister enters with Kurt Forster, an Austrian set designer.  After Forster is insultingly patronizing about German opera and the cultural stupidity of the English, Alma Broughton "accidentally" knocks his drink into his chest, staining his suit.  While Forster and Bannister are in the Gents cleaning the suit coat, Fred swaps Stubbs for their black-market whiskey.  Forster and Bannister return and are upset by the nasty-tasting drinks, but accept the ruse that they have been swindled by their bootlegger.  Forster leaves, Bannister rages at Alma and Janet, who verbally and literally slaps him in the face about his defense of Nazi ideology.  Janet, particularly angered by Chorley's offensiveness about Shakespeare's "This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England...", slaps him twice.  Bannister cringes and knocks back more Stubbs, to soften the blow.  The Shattocks start to close up.  Everyone leaves but Bannister, who, unobserved, is sick from too much Stubbs and goes back into the Gents.  Doris ushers in the team of Resistance members, who chat briefly on their way to the cellar.  Bannister leaves the Gents, clearly having overheard the planning in progress.  Nora walks in just in time to see him escaping through the front door.

Scene 2. February 1945.

"Sigh No More"

Lyia sneaks in via Dr. Venning's and the mews with news about Doris: via her secret meeting with Billy, her report reached Headquarters, but she is being followed.  Lyia leaves Fred and Nora, who fret about what to do (fight or flight?)  Fred sings 'Sigh No More' in an effort to  comfort Nora. Doris arrives with more news: the counter-invasion is imminent.  The Graingers arrive with a gift for the Shattocks; Alma's mother Mrs. Massiter, a jolly old Resistance leader from Maidstone, brightens the mood with her toast, "Down with Hitler!"; and the Blakes bring in news of a movie-house riot when pranksters doctored a newsreel of Hitler, substituting for his speech a child singing "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?"  Gladys Mott slinks in with another German boyfriend, and Lyia and George enter. Chilling the mood, Richter enters and questions Doris, who tries to pass off her meeting with Billy as an innocent lover's tryst, but Richter persists and takes her away for questioning.  Bravely telling all not to worry, Doris is dragged off by Gladys' date and Richter.

Scene 3. February 1945. 3 Days Later.

"Reason for grief, reason for tears"

On a darkened stage, Lyia sings 'Come the Wild Wild Weather.'  Lights come up on Alfie Blake, explaining Allied strategy in Europe to Lily and the barmaid, Phyllis, whose elbow represents Belgium.  Lily can't stand any more of Alfie's going on and on; she retaliates with the comic song, "That is the End of the News."  Billy Grainger comes in and is stunned to learn that Doris is in the hands of the Gestapo.  Fred enters, broken by his inability to visit Doris; Richter has said they will send her back when she has answered their questions "satisfactorily."  Two S.S. guards enter, dragging Doris' bruised and inert body, which they drop at Nora's feet.  Doris exclaims, "I didn't say anything ... I didn't." and dies. Lyia keens the refrain from 'Come the Wild.'

Scene 4. May 1945.

"Nothing ever could override the pride of London town"

Sounds of the invasion (aircraft and gunfire) open the scene.  Alma, Mrs. Massiter, and the Blakes listen with the Shattocks. Gladys Mott enters, desperate for a drink.  Fred flings her money on the floor and tells her to pick it up  and go. Evicted from her country home, Janet Braid enters, is introduced to Mrs. Massiter, and Fred offers a pre-invasion surprise: champagne, hidden since 1939.  Led by a moving tribute from Janet, they all toast Fred, who goes to find Nora, who has been failing since Doris's death. After the other customers leave, Nora enters to talk with Janet, who thanks her, too, then exits.  Fred and Nora are alone when Billy rushes in through the back door with orders to get them out of there.  They refuse to go. George and Dr. Venning enter, dragging Richter, who has been severely beaten.  They tie him to a chair and gag him, then George explains that they are going to kill him.  Although they can't provide a formal trial, George states, "We should hate the thought of you leaving this life smarting under a sense of British injustice." The substantiated charges against Richter start with the arrest, torture, and murder of Doris.  There is noise outside.  Stevie bursts in to say they all must leave immediately, and the men move Richter into position in front of the door to the street.  Nora pauses to confront Richter silently, George announces the invasion is here, and they leave.  The radio crackles on with one last Resistance broadcast, and there is the sound of a car pulling up outside, followed by shouting in German as someone tries to break down the front door. When that fails, there is machine-gun fire through the door, killing Richter instantly. Lyia begins the reprise of 'London Pride' and is joined by the entire cast.

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