Stage Review: Private Lives – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

Published on: 17 Jan, 2018
Updated on: 17 Jan, 2018

Private Lives runs at the Yvonne Arnaud until January 20.

By Ferenc Hepp

Now that the weeks of boos and hisses, flashing batons and local radio presenters in dresses are well and truly over, the new season opened this week at the Yvonne Arnaud with London Classic Theatre’s UK and Ireland tour of Private Lives by Noel Coward.

The play was first produced in London’s West End in 1930, followed by a Broadway premiere the year after. It has been revived numerous times since, as well as being made into a film and adapted for television and radio.

The setting is 1930 and centres around two divorced couples on their second honeymoons in an elegant hotel in France, only to discover that their respective ex-partners are in the next room with an adjoining balcony.

The elegance is more suggested than represented by the designer (Frankie Bradshaw) as the set is quite minimalist. Bradshaw’s intention was to “create a ‘cut-away’ version of the hotel that allows you to observe the main action happening on the balcony whilst being privy to the shadowy sub-plot happening behind just behind the balcony doors”.

This sounds like an interesting notion, however, “the sub-plot” merely involves the spouses shouting at each other from balcony to room. More detail could have been added to the balcony setting rather than trying to also involve the rooms in a physical form.

The first couple we meet are Elyot and Sibyl Chase, played by Gareth Bennett-Ryan and Olivia Beardsley, where Elyot is clearly in charge. Beardsley’s Sibyl is charming, nervous and submissive, which comes across particularly well and suits the era perfectly.

Bennett-Ryan’s Elyot is domineering and old-fashioned, and there are some good moments from him through the play, however, the “Coward-esque” 1930s language and mannerisms are occasionally lost.

The couple next door are Victor and Amanda Prynne, played by Paul Sandys and Helen Keeley. In a complete contrast, Amanda is the one who wears the trousers in this relationship and Keeley portrays this particularly well, maintaining the trait throughout.

Sandys’s Victor comes across clearly as someone who is slightly more withdrawn, and less extravagant and outspoken than his new wife, which already points us towards the conclusion that Victor and Sibyl would be much more suited than their current partners.

Acts Two and Three take place in Amanda’s Paris apartment where we observe the rekindling of Elyot and Amanda’s relationship “living in sin”, having run away from their respective new partners during their honeymoons.

There is good chemistry between Bennett-Ryan and Keeley here, and plenty of laughs as they go through various emotions from romance to rage, although it is rather wordy throughout.

Act Three sees the return of Victor and Sibyl who unexpectedly end up fighting verbally and physically as much as Elyot and Amanda did in the previous act, but does this mean that they have also found their perfect partner via these unusual circumstances?

Direction is by Michael Cabot who points out in his director’s notes that this needs to be “played at pace” and “connect with a 2017 audience afresh”. The pace is mostly good and there are some good performances, however, the play is rather dated and I did not feel a modern connection. It is fun though.

Private Lives runs until Saturday, January 20 and tickets are available via the website: www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk or by calling the box office on 01483 440000.

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