NOEL COWARD'S THE VORTEX 

THE VORTEX WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN, DIRECTED AND PERFORMED BY NOEL COWARD IN 1924. IT MADE HIM AN OVERNIGHT STAR AND LAUNCHED A LEGENDARY CAREER. THIS IS ONE OF HIS LEAST PERFORMED WORKS AND MANY LABEL IT AS DATED.
THE CHALLENGE IN DIRECTING THIS PLAY IS THAT IS STRADDLES TWO DISTINCT ACTING STYLES; THE CREAKY MELODRAMA OF THE VICTORIAN ERA IN THE LAST ACT AND COWARD'S MACHINE GUN MODERN BRITTLE COMIC STYLE IN THE FIRST AND SECOND.
THE LAST MAJOR PRODUCTION OF THE VORTEX WAS PERFORMED WITH RUPERT EVERETT IN THE ROLE OF NICKY AND WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED BY THE PUBLIC; IT IS A TOUR DE FORCE FOR ANY ACTOR AND PRESENTS MANY CHALLENGES.
NOEL COWARD PENNED THE FIRST MODERN PLAY WITH DRUG USE AND BISEXUALITY AS SOME OF THE MAIN THEMES; IT SHOCKED THE AUDIENCES OF 1924 AND, WHILE THE SHOCK HAS LESSENED, THE DRAMA AND THEMES OR DRUG USE, BISEXUALITY AND NARCISSIM ARE AS RELEVANT TODAY AS IN THE 1920s.
TODAYS AUDIENCES CAN RELATE TO THE SAME FEELING OF IMPENDING DOOM AS THEN. WE ARE ALL CAUGHT UP IN OUR OWN VORTEX OF NARCISSIM AND ADDICTIONS.