Private Lives is Noël Coward’s finest comedy, originally written for himself and his close friend Gertrude Lawrence. After touring the British provinces, the play opened at London’s Phoenix Theatre in 1930, starring Coward, Lawrence, Adrianne Allen, and Laurence Olivier. A Broadway production followed in 1931, and the play has since been revived numerous times in both the West End and on Broadway. It was also made into a film in 1931 and has been adapted several times for television and radio.
This comedy of manners features a glamorous couple with a turbulent past relationship. They meet by chance at a hotel five years after their divorce. As fate would have it, they are both on honeymoons with new spouses and discover that they still have intense feelings for one another. They run off together to Paris, leaving their confused partners behind.
What follows is a tempestuous, hilarious ride.
Director Owen Thompson has assembled a talented cast. Coward’s fiery dialogue is delivered with elegance and skill. Thompson’s direction is brisk and well staged, filled with sharp comic timing and equally well-played moments of pathos.
Patrick Zeller, returning after his acclaimed performance as Valmont in last season’s Les Liaisons Dangereuses, plays Elyot. He is thoroughly persuasive as the suave, sophisticated Elyot Chase, while also revealing his character’s vulnerability and total befuddlement when circumstances spin out of control.
Olivia Gilliatt brings elegance and cool haughtiness to Amanda Prynne. She is equally charming and wicked, with a fragility hidden beneath the surface.
Zeller and Gilliatt have terrific chemistry, whether they are cuddling or Amanda is breaking a record over Elyot’s head. Their clashes are intricately choreographed, with the two actors leaping over furniture in a wonderfully physical sequence. Dan O’Driscoll does an excellent job staging the fights, and the physical comedy is delivered with superb timing.
Their new and decidedly unsuitable spouses are the insipid Sybil Chase and the pompous but shy Victor Prynne.
The wonderful Kate Day Magosci, also returning from Les Liaisons Dangereuses, plays Sybil. She is in awe of Elyot and loves him with deep devotion yet has extraordinarily little understanding of the man she married. Her bewilderment at his behavior feels wonderfully genuine, as does her spectacular blubbering.
Zachary Clark brings just the right combination of pomposity and earnestness to Victor, especially when he takes it upon himself to criticize Amanda or straighten out Elyot.
Abby Malczon is delightful as Louise, bringing comic energy and physical agility to the harried maid while navigating her fluent French with ease.
Hayden Bingham designed the Art Deco sets, including adjoining balconies at the seaside hotel and a lavish Paris living room filled with the rich furnishings and trappings of the 1930s. Kudos, too, for the perfectly curated properties throughout the production.
The show is splendidly lit by Dennis Parichy. Nancy Nichols’ gorgeous period costumes range from bouncy and playful to stylishly elegant. The sound design by Jessica Klee and Owen Thompson includes Noël Coward songs that add just the right hint of the period whenever needed.
The skilled supporting crew includes Kevin E. Thompson, stage manager; Isabelle Favette and Cass Wolff, scenic artists; Imani Gallimore and Abby Malczon, running crew; Sofia Lavion, Production manager.
Go see it! You will laugh out loud. It’s funny, fast-paced, and filled with the kind of sparkling dialogue that makes you wish you could be half as clever in an argument. Private Lives is a wonderfully entertaining evening at the theater.
Following Private Lives, which runs through September 20, the Schoolhouse Theater will present James Goldman’s gripping historical drama The Lion in Winter, running December 4–20.
All performances are at the North Salem Community Center
3 Owens Road
Croton Falls, NY 10519
Tickets are available at www.theschoolhousetheater.org or by calling (914) 473-7111
Photo by Doug Abdelnour.
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