<Dd> And the international catastrophes </Dd> <P> Their absurdity acts as comic relief . Although Eliot came to think that the chorus was a failure, reviewers in the present century have commented more favourably: "The transformation of Harry's buffoonish aunts and uncles into a Greek chorus is at once absurd and compelling ." "The chorus...are doubly effective when retreating into the spotlight from their own amusingly stereotyped personalities .". </P> <P> Before the 1946 revival, Eliot considered revising the play, but "as soon as I start thinking about the play, I have inklings of altering it still further" and rather than completely rewrite his 1939 text Eliot felt "it would be healthier to leave it alone" and he started work on a new play, "One - Eyed Riley", which became The Cocktail Party . Despite his own criticism of The Family Reunion in his 1951 lecture, Eliot let the original text stand . </P>

Significance of the title of the family reunion