Noel Coward’s
classic tale of old flames inadvertently reunited on their respective
honeymoons. Divorced couple Elyot and Amanda cannot bear to be around or apart
from one another. They make each other crack up with laughter and yet as soon
as they settle for a moment, Coward’s snappy, scathing dialogue releases gross
cruelties. It should be noted that there are outdated attitudes and some
(albeit comically portrayed) brutality.
This production
pulls no punches; Director Gordon Russell has carefully crafted a tremendous
infusion of esoteric wit and argumentative characters. We were blessed with
some surprising twists in a fight in a brilliantly choreographed scene at the
end of act two - with much praise to the Properties team (Catherine Moore and
Hope McDonald) for some very realistic props. My thoughts go also to the actors
using/having props used on them, as it must be very tricky to not hurt one
another. A similar scene towards the end of act three was good but could have
used a little tightening around the edges to hide the ‘tricks of the trade’
used to create the illusion. There was a pervading feeling of decadence to the
show, illustrated further by the fine Art Deco set (Designed by Alan Potts and
Gordon Russell). I was surprised to smell the actual cigarettes the actors were
smoking on stage!
All of the cast
had excellent timing, with snappy dialog tripping easily off the tongue,
creating something that felt very natural. French Maid Louise (Pat Haggerty),
exasperated by what she finds, is highly comical as she reacts the only way she
can. Sybil (Natalie Plunga) provides a shrill contrast to the other character
as she seems woefully unaware of her own shortcomings. Victor (Ben Ostell), is
hilarious as the uptight new husband of Amanda (Catherine Ellis). Amanda and
Elyot (Sam Hinton) are a powerhouse of sarcasm and timing. Elyot instantly draws
in the audience with his quick wit and surprises with an amusing piano recital.
As for Amanda. with her wonderfully louche attitude and interesting dance moves,
she is a joy to watch. The end of act two will leave you breathless with these
two actors’ skill, timing and hilarity. It is little wonder this production is
so good.
Exquisitely droll,
this is an evening of theatre at its very best. Private Lives, at the People’s
Theatre, is a must see and runs until the 28th October 2023.
