What kind of love?
As Oliver and I agreed during our conversation in the podcast, the play does not present a very optimistic portrait of love or marriage. Oliver writes in his biography that Coward considered sexual love to be a destructive force, and it certainly seems to be here with Amanda and Elyot. They themselves talk about the combustible chemistry that there is between them: “we were like two violent acids bubbling about in a nasty little matrimonial bottle.”

It is an obvious fact that uncontained sexual desire is potentially destructive, most commonly of course in propelling adultery that imperils marriages. Paradoxically we also assume sex to be an essential element of a successful partnership, and we champion romantic love as a prerequisite for marriage. Coward would almost certainly acknowledge the paradox.

Amanda and Elyot apparently feel too strongly to maintain a stable relationship. Their “overbearing love” is inevitably accompanied in Amanda’s words by “selfishness, cruelty, hatred, possessiveness, (and) petty jealousy.” Having learned from bitter experience the destructive nature of this kind of love the first time around with Amanda, he says to Sybil that “love is no use unless it’s wise, and kind, and undramatic. Something steady and sweet, to smooth out your nerves when you’re tired. Something tremendously cosy – and unflurried by scenes and jealousies. That’s what I want, what I’ve always wanted really. Oh my dear, I do hope it’s not going to be dull for you.”  We, and I’m sure he, knows that it won’t be dull for Sybil, but for him. His determination that he loves Sybil “more wisely” is matched by Amanda’s claim that she will love Victor “more calmly”. Since when is love wise or calm?

It is difficult at times to resist falling for the kind of love that Amanda and Elyot feel. Elyot is unable to resist it when he first sees Amanda again on the terrace of the hotel: “you’re growing lovelier and lovelier every second as I look at you. You don’t hold any mystery for me, darling, do you mind? There isn’t a particle of you that I don’t know, remember, and want.”  He knows her deeply; it is genuinely moving, until you recall that he is saying this on the first night of his honeymoon to his other wife! So much for love that is “smooth” and “steady” and safe.

Coward himself said that he “was no good at love”. His characters certainly seem to be made in his own image.