PERCHANCE TO DREAM Finborough Theatre

In his day Ivor Novello was one of the biggest box office attractions, the epitome of glamour, famous for his beauty and profile. He became a household name when he wrote Keep the Home Fires Burning, one of the most popular songs of World War 1. There has been no full-scale revival of any of his musicals since his early death at the age of 58 in 1957. Perchance to Dream is a collector’s item, and not worth collecting, except for Novello aficionados. It was a big success in 1945 because it provided the spectacle and romantic escapism a war-weary Austerity Britain wanted. The hit song, We’ll Gather Lilacs in the Spring, forever identified with Olive Gilbert, caught the nation’s yearning for better times perfectly.