The Royal Exchange’s production is well-paced and joyful
What goes on behind closed doors? How do you treat your spouse when nobody else is around? Does love unavoidably cause insanity? Noël Coward’s 1930 comedy Private Lives reveals all of these answers and much more. Taking place over the honeymoon of two couples, Amanda and Victor Prynne and Elyot and Sibyl Chase, the play takes an unexpected turn when previous divorcees Amanda and Elyot realise they are stuck on the same boat.
The first half of this production is so gripping and truly joyful to watch. Immediately the audience witnesses the rapid decaying of the two recently married couples, which drew many laughs and I noticed lots of people sitting forward in their seats. The pace of it is excellent, and I feel this is when the actors gave their best performances. Particularly Shazia Nicholls, who is a captivating standout as Sibyl. She injects youthfulness and charming hyperactivity into every line. Her incessant questioning of Elyot, though based in the context of the 30s, felt strikingly like it could be from 2026, and a lot of this was because of her erratic yet truthful delivery. It also indicates how Coward’s writing, comedically, has stood the test of time.
The worldbuilding was fantastic, Dick Bird’s set is wonderful. The revolve stage is an outrageously art deco boat, divided into two sections with cream sofas. Minimalist enough that the four cocktails that appear in the first half almost feel like a set piece themselves rather than a prop, which is apt when drinking is such a big part of the narrative and the romantic relationships.
For the second half, the set becomes Amanda’s messy, stale Parisian apartment. Warmly lit and cluttered, it feels claustrophobic and queasy. This was supported by the subtle speeding up and slowing down of the revolve as tension spiked and flattened, I really enjoyed this touch. It got to a point where the revolve spinning became dizzyingly quick – though imaginably intended to perpetuate the idea of Amanda and Elyot going round in circles in their relationship, it didn’t feel like a cliche.
With such an incredible, seamless first half, I was expecting the second to keep me much more engaged than it ultimately did. For me, there was something missing that didn’t match the quality I’ve come to expect from the Royal Exchange. There was an absence of chemistry and a subtle loss of connection between Amanda and Elyot in the second half that I felt confused by. However, overall, this is a good production. Funny and well-paced with accomplished design.
Private Lives runs until the 2nd May at The Royal Exchange