Private Lives

How appropriate it is that Chichester’s 50th season ends on such a high note before going dark for much needed renovations. Private Lives is Coward at his best, his most concise, most finely tuned and most acerbic. But pulling it off is not quite as easy as it might look. All too often Coward is presented as merely a period piece with pretty frocks and witty one-liners. On the contrary it requires acting of the highest order, razor sharp direction – and pretty frocks if you must. This production had it all. Anna Chancellor was every inch the wayward shrew, selfish, wanton and startlingly attractive. It’s no wonder men fall for her Amanda. Toby Stephens is equally attractive as the cavalier cove Elyot, dashing, bright, arrogant and sexy. They are indeed made for each other. Which makes their couplings with Sibyl and Victor all the more amusing.

Anna-Louise Plowman is perfect as simpering Sybil, willowy, wishy washy and worryingly naive about Elyot. Anthony Calf plays the smitten Victor with great skill and for once the gentle man is portrayed as a character who does stand half a chance of seducing the appalling Amanda. The mismatched couples collide on their honeymoons in Deauville and the ensuing carnage plays out with an erotic fire that clarifies why Coward had such trouble getting the play staged.

Jonathan Kent has directed with great skill, the company deliver the lines with style and clarity, never once missing a laugh and often creating them where even Coward may not have expected them. Anthony Ward’s sets and costumes are delightfully true and refreshingly lacking in gimmickry, leaving the intimate space of the Minerva free for real theatrical craft. A quick word for Maggie McCarthy too, who plays maid Louise brilliantly.

When Coward penned the line “Extraordinary how potent cheap music is” his tongue must have been firmly in his cheek. The genius of Coward and the brilliance of a top notch Chichester production.

Minerva Theatre Chichester, 28 September 2012

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