⭐⭐⭐⭐
Manchester Royal Exchange
27th March to 2nd May
*** Savagely Wicked ***
*** A Terribly Good Evening ***
Manchester Royal Exchanges production of Noel Coward’s ‘Private Lives’ is a solid four stars in this savagely wicked revival.
The story follows a pair of divorcees, Amanda and Elyot, who are honeymooning with their new loves. They discover that their Exes are staying in the room next door. As the story unfolds, they find that they still have some feeling for one another. Noel Cowward wrote the play in 1930, and the script still hold up with its wit and humour. There are a few politically incorrect lines and moments, but the audience didn’t seem to mind to much as was evident with the laughing and belly laughs throughout.
Jill Halfpenny’s Amanda completely stole the show for us, with her comedic timing, facial expressions, and leading gestures as she prowls around the stage. Jill Halfpenny had an air of a young Elizabeth Taylor and executing her lines as if directed by Coward himself. That coupled with Steve John Shepherd portrayal of Elyot who delivered his lines with great helpings of grandeur and gentlemanly attitude, though could be an absolute rotter. The verbal volleys between the two are full of love and venom. It’s a classic, can’t live with them, and can’t live without them.
Daniel Millar plays Victor, Amanda’s new husband. He is fabulously pompous with some great face offs, especially when squaring up to Elyot in act too. We really felt his energy and pent-up frustrations towards the end of the act in a show down with Sibyl. His mannerisms dramatically contrast that of Shazia Nicholls who plays Elyot’s new bride (Sibyl) with her shrill vocals and neurotic behaviour. These characters, both being the polar opposite of what Amanda and Elyot are, almost mirror them in this comedy of errors.
Noel Coward tends to write more for his female characters, giving them the best lines and put downs, unlike the camper characters of Oscar Wilde. He does however, occasional gives an ace for the guys, which Steve and Daniel lap up and strike hard with. The best scenes are between the squabbling couples, going back and forth like a tense Wimbledon final. With each serve more wittier and more cutting then the previous. The audience was lead from a tittering first half into a raucous second half as we watched the acid tongued rants of the passionate couples.
Coward wrote and also performed in the production in the 1930’s, and this production holds onto the glamour of that era. The hotel balconies in act one, wouldn’t be out of place at Morecombe’s art deco ‘Midland Hotel’. The sets have been loving created by Dick Bird. Designing in the round can be a gift or a hindrance but Bird has triumphed. He uses the revolve which increase in speed during heated quarrels. When in Amanda’s Parisian apartment you really felt like a fly on the peripheries watching the action from all angles.
The production is elegant and made for a terribly good evening. Jill Halfpenny is perfectly sublime, and Noel Coward remains as relevant now as he was 100 years ago. It runs from 27th March until 2nd May 2026 at Manchester Royal Exchange.
Create Your Own Website With Webador