Review: PRIVATE LIVES at Bandwagon Arts

Revisiting a classic is always a balancing act. How much should remain untouched, and how much should be reshaped for the present moment? Bandwagon Arts takes a swing at that question with a contemporary take on Private Lives by Noël Coward, now playing at Ground Floor Theatre. Directed by Benajah Baskin, who also contributes additional text, the production keeps Coward's famously sharp dialogue while nudging the play into a more modern frame.

The plot is deceptively simple but endlessly combustible. Two newly married couples arrive at the same hotel for their honeymoons, only to discover that the occupants of the adjacent balcony are Elyot (Baron Ryan) and Amanda (Vivian Noble), former spouses whose relationship ended in an explosive breakup. Chemistry reignites immediately, insults slip into flirtation, and before long, they abandon their new partners in pursuit of the passion that once consumed them.

Coward's brilliance lies in the contradiction at the center of Elyot and Amanda. They adore each other, yet cannot coexist without provocation. Their relationship cycles through verbal sharpness, emotional jabs, and moments of physical confrontation.

Viewed today, some elements that were likely intended as outrageous humor read differently. The play's suggestion that escalating violence between lovers turns into sexual tension and lust feel less comic in 2026 than intended. The secondary spouses' decision to remain married for a year after the scandal also feels more like a matter of social convenience rather than modern behavior. These elements do not diminish the play, but they invite reflection on how romantic and social expectations have shifted since 1930.

Part of what makes Private Lives interesting is the social commentary it delivers in the form of satire. In 1930, divorce carried stigma, especially within the wealthy social circles Coward enjoyed satirizing. Elyot and Amanda belong to a class of glamorous, idle socialites who can afford to misbehave. Their cruelty toward each other, and toward the partners they casually discard, is part of Coward's joke about privilege and emotional irresponsibility.

In a modern staging where those class signals are visually softened, some of that context becomes less obvious. Without the glittering armor of wealth and social status surrounding them, Elyot and Amanda risk appearing less like satirical portraits of privileged excess and more like two people trapped in a destructive cycle of poor choices.

Bandwagon's staging keeps the interpersonal dynamics front and center. Patrick Anthony's set simplifies Coward's original two-balcony design into a single elevated structure, allowing the characters to move in and out of each other's orbits. The contemporary setting adds minor details, including casual phone use and an Alexa device timing a temporary ceasefire during one of Elyot and Amanda's arguments.

Coward's language moves quickly, and the play lives or dies by its rhythm. A few transitions could benefit from some tightening, and some exchanges could use a bit more sharpness. Still, the cast maintains an energetic pace that carries the evening with convincing performances.

Ryan plays Elyot with relaxed confidence. His vocal delivery occasionally echoes the clipped cadence of Noël Coward himself, who originated the role on Broadway. Opposite him, Vivian Noble brings stylish volatility to Amanda, embracing the character's self-awareness and unapologetic selfishness.

The newer spouses provide an important counterbalance. Tony Nielson's Victor is oddly endearing in that way only a clueless man in love can be, his bluster and confusion arriving just behind the emotional chaos unfolding around him. Bella Monette gives Sibyl a bright, reactive presence that keeps the character lively as the situation grows increasingly absurd.

For Bandwagon Arts, productions like this are part of a broader mission. The company aims to bring new theatre to audiences by reimagining lesser-known or public-domain classics and by introducing entirely new works. The philosophy invites experimentation with familiar material while keeping older texts in conversation with a contemporary touch.

This production of Private Lives does not polish Coward's play into something pristine. It makes it bolder and offers a curious look at how a famously brittle comedy behaves when placed in a modern setting. Some moments sparkle more than others, but the experiment itself makes the evening worth seeing.

Duration: 90 min without intermission

Private Lives

Book by Noël Coward

Directed by Benajah Baskin

Now playing through March 20, 2026

Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7 p.m.

Sundays at 2 p.m.

Bandwagon Arts at GroundFloor Theatre