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Private Lives
By Noel Coward
Directed by Alison C. Vesely
Produced by First Folio Shakespeare Festival
At Mayslake Peabody Estate
31st Street & RT. 83
Oak Brook, IL
Call 630-986-8067, tickets $25
Wednesday, Friday & Saturday at 8 PM
Sundays at 3 PM
Running time is 2 hrs, 25 min with intermission
Through March 19, 2006
Coward’s masterpiece marvelously comes alive in stellar production.
First Folio Shakespeare Festival, under the dedicated leadership of David Rice and Alison C. Vesely, have mounted an exemplar body of theatrical work over the years making the trip to the Western Suburbs worthwhile. Their latest, Private Lives, is a terrific production combining outstanding work from the four actors with intelligent direction by Alison C. Vesely with Noel Coward’s sophisticated wit, fluid language and smart, quirky plot. It amounts to an intelligent, hilarious night at the theatre. You’ll laugh as you acknowledge the utter honesty of Coward’s words. The play demonstrates Coward’s keen observations of human nature.
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We meet two rich society couples each honeymooning on the French Riviera. Elyot Chase (Joseph Wycoff sharp and smart in a fine turn) and his new bride Louise (a slender vibrant Leah Wagner) are enjoying the view from their room but Louise can’t stop asking Elyot about his former marriage. This irritates the smug Elyot. Coward deliciously sets up the entire play in this scene.
When the couple retires to their room, we meet another couple emerging from their next door balcony. It is Amanda (Melanie Keller in a marvelously delicious performance), Elyot’s ex with her new husband Victor (Christian Gray as a stiff, pompous English gentleman) who proceeds to interrogate Amanda about her first husband. Coward’s wit and smart plotting emerge in these scenes.
When Elyot and Amanda meet each other alone on the balcony, sparks begin to fly. The astute pacing and marvelous expressive exchanges masked by the dialogue allow Joseph Wycoff and Melanie Keller to reminisce in a wonderful and telling scene. The chemistry between the two was genuine and electrifying. This instant rekindling produced a deeper-seated love propelling the two to desire to runaway together to Paris.
Problem: they are both newly married and on their honeymoon. This clever dark comedy aptly and hilariously presents a madding love affair that allows a couple to flee from society’s rules but not from their own ‘private lives.’
In the hands of a master wit, Private Lives unfolds as one of the cleverest plays written as it presents the foibles of human desire, sexual wants and society’s rules as they conflict. The truth of Coward’s words add depth to the humor. Often the truth bits us deeply.
You’ll be impressed with the fabulous acting by this stellar cast whose excellent high British accents, proper posture and manners are wonderfully articulate Coward’s stinging dialogue with impeccable comedic timing and appropriate gestures and facial expressions. Christian Gray, Leah Wagner were excellent but the play hinges on Melanie Keller’s Amanda and Joseph Wycoff’s Elyot. They landed these irascible characters with deft aplomb. This is a sharp ensemble work that exudes its wit and humor magnificently. Private Lives reminds us just how intelligent Noel Coward was as a playwright.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago Podcst
Date Reviewed February 25, 2006
Jeff Recommended
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