Review: Private Lives

A Review

Falling In (and out of) Love Again
( . . . and again, and again, and again . . . )

By R. J. Donovan

Lyric Stage Company is kicking off the new year with a bright and saucy production of Noel Coward's "Private Lives” through January 31.

The "terribly terribly" British comedy set in the 1920s and sharply directed by Scott Edmiston, revolves around the tempestuous relationship of Amanda and Elyot, formerly husband and wife, now divorced and recently attached to others. Elyot is in a swank hotel suite on his wedding night with his new wife when he realizes Amanda just happens to be staying right next door -- with her new husband. Drat the luck!

What ensues over the next three acts is a revolving door of scathing, but comical, emotions. Amanda and Elyot loathe each other. Amanda and Elyot can't get enough of each other. Amanda and Elyot bicker endlessly. Amanda and Elyot smolder with passion.

The on-again off-again couple eventually leave their new spouses in the lurch and run off to Paris where they almost kill each other -- only to wind up exactly where they belong by the final curtain.

Through it all is the nimble handiwork of Coward, who deftly sketches a well-bred world where even the most cutting insults are delivered with stylish manners. This is a “very propah” world of ”shan’t” and “swine” and “banging about” where love is the result of a “chemical whattya-call-em.”

"Private Lives" has been enormously popular since its debut in the 30s. Coward himself supposedly attributed its initial popularity to the (then) scandalous sexual antics. These days, there's nothing even remotely scandalous to salivate over, so it's attraction is (and probably always has been) Coward's brilliant technique of having characters comically cut each other to ribbons with sublime sophistication. It's all done with tidy aplomb and an utterly refined British accent, which always makes the most vile verbal slaps sound really swell.

But the words don't have much power without skillful delivery, and Michael Hammond (left, as Elyot) and Paula Plum (right, as Amanda) are more than up to the task. Both fashion strong personalities who are doomed to a contradictory “can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em” destiny. They are mad for one another one minute only to explode with uncontrollable wrath the next. And as the misplaced new spouses, Barlow Adamson is appropriately exasperated as Amanda’s new husband, Victor, and Mandy Fox is Elyot’s wife Sibyl, a chirpy, wide-eyed, porcelain doll of blonde curls who, in Act Three, sets off on a comical crying jag that just won't stop.

“Private Lives” brings a nice glow to an otherwise cold-as-nails January.

"Private Lives" is at Lyric Stage, 140 Clarendon Street in Boston through January 31. For information, call 617-437-7172.

Production Photo: Sheila Ferrini

-- OnStage Boston

1/8/04

			A Review Falling In (and out of) Love Again ( . . . and again, and again, and again . . . ) By R. J. Donovan Lyric Stage Company is kicking off the new year with a bright and saucy production of Noel Coward's "Private Lives” through January 31. The "terribly terribly" British comedy set in the 1920s and sharply directed by Scott Edmiston, revolves around the tempestuous relationship of Amanda and Elyot, formerly husband and wife, now divorced and recently attached to others. Elyot is in a swank hotel suite on his wedding night with his new wife when he realizes Amanda just happens to be staying right next door -- with her new husband. Drat the luck! What ensues over the next three acts is a revolving door of scathing, but comical, emotions. Amanda and Elyot loathe each other. Amanda and Elyot can't get enough of each other. Amanda and Elyot bicker endlessly. Amanda and Elyot smolder with passion. The on-again off-again couple eventually leave their new spouses in the lurch and run off to Paris where they almost kill each other -- only to wind up exactly where they belong by the final curtain. Through it all is the nimble handiwork of Coward, who deftly sketches a well-bred world where even the most cutting insults are delivered with stylish manners. This is a “very propah” world of ”shan’t” and “swine” and “banging about” where love is the result of a “chemical whattya-call-em.” "Private Lives" has been enormously popular since its debut in the 30s. Coward himself supposedly attributed its initial popularity to the (then) scandalous sexual antics. These days, there's nothing even remotely scandalous to salivate over, so it's attraction is (and probably always has been) Coward's brilliant technique of having characters comically cut each other to ribbons with sublime sophistication. It's all done with tidy aplomb and an utterly refined British accent, which always makes the most vile verbal slaps sound really swell. But the words don't have much power without skillful delivery, and Michael Hammond (left, as Elyot) and Paula Plum (right, as Amanda) are more than up to the task. Both fashion strong personalities who are doomed to a contradictory “can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em” destiny. They are mad for one another one minute only to explode with uncontrollable wrath the next. And as the misplaced new spouses, Barlow Adamson is appropriately exasperated as Amanda’s new husband, Victor, and Mandy Fox is Elyot’s wife Sibyl, a chirpy, wide-eyed, porcelain doll of blonde curls who, in Act Three, sets off on a comical crying jag that just won't stop. “Private Lives” brings a nice glow to an otherwise cold-as-nails January. "Private Lives" is at Lyric Stage, 140 Clarendon Street in Boston through January 31. For information, call 617-437-7172. Production Photo: Sheila Ferrini -- OnStage Boston 1/8/04

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