Private Lives

Quoting NoëlCoward, "I've sometimes thought of marrying - and then I've thought again.”

Private Livesopened at GCLT, preceded delightfully - and appropriately - with French chanteuse Huguette Raman performing pre-show in the bar-foyer.

Coward's plays are a unique style; his wit is in portraying and sending up the questionable manners and sophisticated posturing of the 1920’s - 30's idle rich. In this case it is two couples who aren't quite sure to whom they want to be or whether they want to remain married.

Coward can be difficult to direct today, especially working with younger actors who may not be at all familiar with the period. The arrogant posturing, the condescending and supercilious manner is essential yet quite foreign to modern life.

Considering this, director Roger McKenzie's actors got very close. Allowing for first night nerves, some lack of sufficient voice projection and lighting glitches, the performance was commendable.

Chris Catherwood (Elyot) in particular, nailed the required attitude of "incessant trivial flippancy". Playing opposite him, Jackie Simmons kept him going with Amanda's "well-bred petulance" in spite of occasionally straying vocally to the colonies and back. The younger Victor and Sibyl (Chris Hartley and Jessica Stansfield) had more conservative parts to play, which suited well, contrasting with Elyot and Amanda's "progressive moral attitudes".

A vibrant inner energy is essential for Coward's often wordy passages and there were moments which lagged, saved however by a marvelous fracas (act II) and a very cheeky French maid (Maria Buckler) in act III. 

A promising start to the 4-week run.

Eric James