Private Lives

Noël Coward, an astounding polymath, actor, writer, composer, lyricist, painter and wit was defined by his Englishness as much as he defined it and had more than what he called merely a “talent to amuse”. In a life of 73 years Coward wrote nearly 50 plays, over 400 songs and lyrics, books of verse, sketches, satire, short stories and a novel. His celebrity reached a peak in 1930 with Private Lives, by which time he had become the highest earning author in the western world. Since his death his reputation as the personification of wit and sophistication has grown…little wonder he was and still is respectively know as ‘The Master’.

From the creative team that brought you the highly acclaimed Gate Theatre productions of Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan (2005) and W. Somerset Maugham’s The Constant Wife (2006) comes Noël Coward’s classic tale of bitter sweet love and one of the true delights of theatre. Elyot and Amanda, who marry not wisely but too often, find themselves thrown back together again on their respective honeymoons still hopelessly and passionately in love. Their brief sojourn in her Paris apartment proves to them yet again, that in their case, though one should make love not war – it’s so much more fun to do both.

Cast & Creatives

Paris Jefferson as Amanda Simon O’Gorman as Victor Stephen Brennan as Elyot Sonya Kelly as Louise Katie Kirby as Sibyl

Director:Alan Stanford
Set Designer:Eileen Diss
Costume Designer:Peter O’Brien

Reviews

” Irish Mail on Sunday” –
” “ The play snaps, crackles and pops…****”” –
” ” –
” Metro” –
” “…exquisite theatre…a perfect night\’s entertainment laced with great humour”” –

” RTÉ” –
” “…wickedly funny… a delight…****”” –

” Irish Examiner” –
” “…a perfect summer evening’s theatre…****”” –

” Sunday Business Post” –
” “…timeless…the mood…energy and comedy… lasts throughout…****”” –

” Irish Independent” –
” “Period charmer fizzes”” –

” The Irish Times” –
” “…rollicking good fun”” –

” The Sunday Times” –
” “…excellent…superb”” –