PRIVATE LIVES. To 15 November.

Glasgow

PRIVATE LIVES
by Noel Coward

Citizens' Theatre To 15 November 2003
Tue-Sat 7.30pm Mat 8 November 3pm
Runs 2hr One interval

TICKETS: 0141 429 0022
www.citz.co.uk
Review: Timothy Ramsden 30 October

Ian Spink's radical, nudgingly updated, production jars at times but is exciting, and in one respect a revelation.
There have certainly been more elegant-looking Private Lives. Opening the first act's adjacent honeymoon balconies (where divorced Amanda and Elyot find themselves with their second spouses) to reveal the double beds within makes a point that sex matters in these lives - and contrasts the constriction when the eloping ex-marrieds hole up in Amanda's Paris flat with only a couch to couple uncomfortably on. All these lying-places have animalistic coverings. There's big-cat passion here.

But the walls are blank - concrete monstrosity chain-hotel style, not at all the kind of place for these people. The Paris flat has walls over-ready for decoration. Worst of all, the rail running across the stage front, which does well enough for the balcony-edge in act one, stays throughout the play. It may suggest people all at sea needing anchorage, but as the characters spend more time seated it becomes intrusive, hiding facial expressions for many stalls seats.

This technical blunder apart, here's a well-performed, interestingly directed revival. The updating is awkward at times - references to Dukes and such resorts as Tunis and Morocco have changed significance. But it has one startling justification.

That's the gap created between Philip Bretherton's accomplished, dressing-gowned and believingly 1930s Elyot and Selina Boyack's upftont modern-girl Amanda. Her appearance is very un-thirties in severity: hair combed back, even the act one evening frock emphasising the slight figure (yet loose enough for her to leap a balcony in).

Then the black trouser suit and brown top with scarlet trousers of the Paris acts suggests cool modernity. There's a shiver when Elyot calls her modern. This is a woman seeing herself as women now can, not as someone asserting herself in a world of assumed male-leadership.

Boyack's voice suggests boredom with the latest idea before the words to express it are out, emphasises the self-containment. This is an intelligent, strongly emotional woman. There's a clear emotional struggle as she argues internally Elyot's proposal they run from their new marriages - gripping the balcony-rail, her face intensely registers the battle behind its features.

There's always self-realisation, even in the loving moments. Also commanding sense - see her calm superiority as she dismisses Sybil's refusal to shake her hand.

At times the words are lost, and she needs to ride unexpected audience laughter - the follow-up insult to Norfolk being flat is thrown away so far it lands half out of hearing.

But she'd be a star in the life of anyone she meets, even if a troublesome one. In one of their mid-act 2 minute calm-down silences, Elyot watches her prowl as she cools; but Amanda's entirely absorbed in her own feelings.

Yet Simon Roberts' Victor is no pushover - his conscious effort not to give in to her is determined enough to make her re-assess her position. More typical of her way is the dismissal of the hotel Maid, who's delivered cocktails to Elyot's and been tipped, but is soon stared out when she tries the money-getting on Amanda.

Candida Benson's Sybil is no empty-headed floosy, but a sensible modern girl, making the contrast with Amanda - Sybil's composed but not supercharged.

Patti Clare's Louise is no live-wire Parisian but a slow-thinking, slow-moving peasant, who stumps the tray of coffee and brioche on the floor (no table).

In the last of his inventive ideas (the first act recognition has done away with the singalong - Amanda recognises Elyot by the way his hand holds a cigarette, a more intimate touch), Spink removes Elyot and Amanda from their arguing spouses early enough for the row to go on some time downstage centre. Here is the sensible pair as lost in rows as their brief other halves, without even the excuse of being married.

Amanda: Selina Boyack
Elyot: Philip Bretherton
Victor: Simon Roberts
Sybil: Candida Benson
Louise: Patti Clare

Director: Ian Spink
Designer: Antony McDonald
Lighting: Gerry Jenkinson
Associate designer: Juliette Blondelle

2003-10-31 12:23:32