Private Lives @ Theatre Royal, 23 Feb
Elyot and Sybil, played by Tom Chambers and Charlotte Ritchie, are a couple of newlyweds honeymooning in the south of France alongside Amanda and Victor, played by Laura Rodgers and Richard Teversonn, in the hotel’s adjoining suite. But unfortunately for Sybil and Victor, their respective spouses were married themselves until a few years ago, and it’s not long before Elyot and Amanda start rekindling their old flame at the expense of their new ones.
Whatever souls are made of, Elyot’s and Amanda’s are the same, something driven home in the intimate physicality of Chambers’ and Rodgers’ performances, their subtly co-ordinated costumes, and even the set design, which is rife with paired objects and reflections. But they divorced for a reason, and their passionate love oscillates to passionate hate about as fast as they can keep up.
Like the best love-triangle plots, the parallel choices Elyot and Amanda are forced to make concern more than just romance: while the stability promised by their new marriages comes at the cost of stagnation, getting back together brings crushing lows with its soaring highs. They might be soul-mates, but with each as obstinate as the other their arguments regularly turn nasty.
If the script wasn’t so witty or the cast so charming these two could be a tough pair to spend three acts with, but here the audience is perversely rooting for them even as they make life worse for everyone around them. This fresh production at the Theatre Royal is Noël Coward at his best, injected with vitality.
Private Lives, Theatre Royal, Glasgow, run ended.