Private Lives

Old Mill Theatre’s Private Lives is proving so popular with audiences that extra performances were added to the season even before opening night. The excitement is very much justified with a slick, well-acted and beautifully produced rendition of this classic British comedy.

Set in 1930, Act 1 takes place on adjoining balconies in an expensive hotel in Deauville, France - nicely realised by set designer George Boyd, with subsequent acts set in a lovely Art Deco flat in Paris - gorgeously constructed and exquisitely dressed, with lighting designed by Mark Nicholson. Merri Ford’s costumes - especially for the women, are stunning, flattering and of the era - simply lovely to look at.

This relatively small cast works well as an ensemble - with Krysia Wiechecki, stunning in her first post-baby stage appearance, and Thomas Dimmick, sparring beautifully as divorced couple Amanda and Elyot. Both are delightfully Cowardesque, sophisticated with a touch of the unhinged.

Strong support comes from Declan Waters, upright and indignant as Amanda’s new husband Victor, and Daniela Barbosa, fragile but determined as Elyot’s new wife Sybil. Stealing scenes during her short stage time is Annabelle Eirth, delivering nearly all her lines in rapid fire French, but leaving us in no doubt about what her character, maid Louise, thinks about the situation.

Always a strong director, Barry Park excels in this genre, and this, one of Coward’s finest works, still has strong audience appeal. While it is not easy to get a ticket to this production, it is worth trying to see this still quite edgy comedy.

Kimberley Shaw

Photographer: Grant Malcolm.