Review: NOEL COWARD'S PRIVATE LIVES at BrightSide Theatre

“I’ve often thought that people can bring out the absolute worst in each other.”

Written in 1930 by the witty British scribe Noel Coward.  The current production at BrightSide Theatre is Coward’s masterpiece, Private Lives. It tells the story of 2 newly married couples honeymooning in Deauville, France with side by side balconies. The catch is that the bride of one couple and the groom of the other couple were once married. Amanda Chase Prynne (Jamie Marie DePaolo) discovers ex-husband Elyot Chase (Jon Cunningham) on the other balcony. She tries to make sure he doesn’t see her but there wouldn’t be a story if he didn’t. Both of their new spouses, Sibyl Chase (Emily Sherman) and Victor Prynne (Matt Hellyer) continually bring up the first husband and wife in conversation and it is always comparing their personalities. Elyot and Amanda are selfish, very impulsive and not disciplined. Their passion, not reason, is what drives them. It is also what caused their divorce. As the scene in Deauville continues, they begin to have feelings for each other again. They decide to leave their new spouses. In kindness, Amanda leaves both jilted spouses a note explaining what has happened. She and Elyot leave for Paris. Sibyl cries almost most of the time to Victor about what has happened. She is only 23 and had lived with her mother until her marriage. She is very inexperienced in the world of Elyot. Victor describes himself as normal. Amanda is anything but normal.  Elyot has been known to strike Amanda and she has been known to smash phonograph records over his head. They agree that if the arguing starts to take a two minute silence break. When they are in Paris, this works several times but then the arguing escalates. As they are at full throttle of fighting, which includes Elyot striking Amanda and Amanda breaking a record over his head, Sibyl and Victor enter.  The next morning, Amanda’s housekeeper Louise (Bev Coscarelli) arrives and sees the apartment in complete disarray with Sibyl asleep on the divan and Victor asleep in a chair. Louise speaks no English. Until Elyot walks into the room, there is no communication with Louise. Elyot and Amanda begin bickering. The new spouses will not grant a divorce for a year to let Amanda and Elyot decide if being together is what they truly want. Sibyl and Victor begin a heated argument defending their new spouse. It continues to escalate as Elyot and Amanda realize that they do want to be together and that Sibyl and Victor are suited for each other.

Director and artistic director Jeffrey Cass has brought these colorful characters of a bygone era back to life brilliantly. The pace is so Coward.  Many in the know have said this play is based upon Coward’s relationship with Gertrude Lawrence (The King and I). She and Coward along with Lawrence Olivier created these roles. The actors speak with a flawless British accent. Louise speaks fluent French in her scene. The scenic design also by Cass is quite remarkable. The first act is on the two balconies. During set change, the balconies are turned around and now it is Amanda’s apartment in Paris. Prop designer Delaney Kosar incorporated so many pieces of the 1930’s. The audience was transported back to Paris of that wonderful era. Cheryl Newman’s costumes were just as much a part of the scenery.

There is a reason Private Lives continues to be performed. The script, the storyline and the actions of its characters. We can all be selfish, stubborn and, at times, mean. When you find that someone who fits your gaps, that is everything.