Review: PRIVATE LIVES at Irish Classical Theatre

Noel Coward may well have been the arbiter of all things regarding propriety , social class, and manners. So it may have come as a shock to some that his witty play PRIVATE LIVES, now playing at Irish Classical Theatre, makes it clear that his upper crust characters certainly  do NOT always behave with the best possible manners. Therein lies the crux of the comedy that audiences love, in part, thanks to the bad behavior of his cast

Along with Oscar Wilde, Coward was a pro at social commentary of the upper classes in England. One's actions and behaviors in public rarely jibe with the conversations that take place behind closed doors. HBO's THE GILDED AGE makes  a valiant stab at America's own upper crust at the turn of the last century. But Coward has fashioned perfectly horrible behaving characters in his often produced hit PRIVATE LIVES. 

Elyot and Amanda had a nasty divorce 5 years prior to the start of the play. We find Elyot on his honeymoon  night with his new bride Sibyl, while Amanda is also on her honeymoon night with her new husband Victor. Oh yes, the two couples are also  sharing a balcony at the same hotel. 

Coward gives us lots of juicy history leading to their dramatic divorce, so it is believed that the two despise each other, all the while believing that their new spouses are perfect.

Kudos to Ben Michael Moran for stepping into the role of Elyot on very short notice, having just finished a brilliant performance in Arthur Miller's THE PRICE at ICTC. Elyot fits him like a glove, full of witty retorts, fashionable attire and general entitlement.  The role was originally played by Noel Coward himself, and Moran certainly is comfortable with this  eccentric, loquacious gentleman.  Moran is always spot on with his English accent, and revels in every spoken word, even when Coward writes cruelly as Elyot berates and belittles his new bride. The sudden changes in tone in this play can be quite jarring, while at one point in history may have been played for supposed comic effect, today are blatantly inexcusable.

Jenn Stafford plays Amanda in the style of every grande dame that has come before her (including Tallulah Bankhead and Maggie Smith). Her entrances are dramatic and flouncy, without a care that melodrama could be creeping in. The result is  often deliciously absurd. She and Moran bicker, laugh, smoke and drink , as to the manor born. And before you know it, they have fallen madly in love again and leave their respective spouses and run away to Paris to start life over again.

Anna Fernandez is a lovely, sometimes dim witted second wife Sibyl. She looks statuesque and is genuinely befuddled when Elyot tells her they must leave the hotel immediately, when he finds out Amanda is next door.  Darryl Semira is equally as bewildered when  Amanda suggest they also leave immediately. Semira turns in a pitch perfect performance, full of proper English behavior, but prone to sudden outbursts of maddening disbelief.

This production, directed by Chris Kelly, plays the first two acts together, giving us lots of unbroken time to get to know Amanda and Elyot. Kelly directs with a broad hand, with possibly more elements of farce than one would expect. Over dramatic reactions, synchronized bits and some vocal interludes mostly worked fine. Stafford and Moran are at their best in the second scene when they rekindle their relationship, which also all too soon rekindles their hatred for each other's behaviors. The script ebbs and flows in often preposterous ways, like a game of "I love you... I love you not." References to Elyot having hit Amanda are difficult to swallow for present day audiences. But the two are marvelous at the physicality of their arguments, which nicely balances their flickers of romance, as the two cuddle and kiss on matching fainting couches, dressed in flowing dressing gowns.

The final scene brings Sibyl and Victor to Paris to confront their respective new spouses. The French maid Louise, played for full on laughs, is comedically played by Maria Pedro and she is a hoot. Fernandez and Semira get their chances to shine, as the two now bicker and behave as badly as their newfound spouses did, while Amanda and Elyot silently look on. The farcical ending proves everyone involved couldn't care less about their bad behaviors and manners.

Vivian DelBello has designed some fabulous costumes, dripping with 1930's deco and nouveau references. The cast simply  looks grande, and rightly so for this upper crust set. The simple scenic design by David Dwyer is classy and effectively lit by Matt DiVita.

PRIVATE LIVES plays at Buffalo's Irish Classical Theatre through June 30, 2024. Contact irishclassical.com for more information

To post a comment, you must register and login.