Review: Private Lives, at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton

There are some pieces who's name is brought around again and again in one way or another, particularly if they're revived again and again. One of those for me is one of the most classic Noel Coward plays, Private Lives. Only the 2nd Coward play I've seen after Blithe Spirit, it being revived at the Bolton Octagon, in partnership with the Rose Theatre and the Mercury Theatre, it was my time to give this go. 

The result.. well, let's find out shall we

Private Lives is set in 1930 France, following rich socialite divorced couple Amanda and Elyot, both of whom having just started their honeymoons with their new partner. Awkwardness ensues (as it happens when you bump into your ex after many years), followed by impulsive passion. But they divorce for a reason, and the play starts to ask "What do you do when you are in love with someone who is bad for you?"

Unlike Blithe Spirit, Noel Coward's script for me, acts as a double edge sword in this case

In a lot of ways, it acts as the classic 30s farce, similar to Anything Goes (sans the songs of course). The script is tight, and it does have its moments, making me laugh on more than one occasion. The set and costuming aid in creating luxury hotel rooms and suave looking characters. However, the other side is that the characters themselves are rather unlikeable, and unfortunately become more unlikeable as the play goes on. To what extent of it is the time the play was written in, I cannot tell you, but it was hard to get truly engaged in the play when you cannot get behind these characters. 

The biggest culprit in this regard is 100% Elyot, or as I prefer to refer to him, as Red Flag Man - because red flags are everywhere with this guy. I will it again, this comes from the writing itself more than Tanuja Amarasuriya's direction or the performance. However, Elyot is immature, pompous, disrespectful, selfish and violent, and can have a full on toddler tantrum at times.  It is hard to engage with a character that reminds me of both Henry Higgins and Bill Sikes. Amanda is sadly not much better, being very nonchalant and pretty selfish herself - the kind of woman who wants to travel, and has many men on the side but does and should NOT commit.  I will say though that out of the four main characters, it is Pepter Lunkuse as Amanda who gives the most realistic and believable performance. 

It may be very much of the time, but it baffles me that Elyot and Amanda are seen as the perfect couple because they bicker the point of domestic violence, and they both end up with red flags everywhere! Even their new partners carry red flags of their own, with Sybil being bratty and spoilt, and Victor being the "Calm down Dear" man. 

However, is that perhaps the point..?

Private Lives is Noel Coward's attack on the concept of marriage, and in particularly the necessity of marriage in certain cases (Coward was a gay man in a time when it was sadly illegal to be in the UK). And as there was over 80,000 divorces in the UK and Wales inn 2022, it is a question that is still relevant today. Therefore, as throwing out the question as to whether marriage is always the correct option, that everyone. 

I realise that I am perhaps coming across as a bit harsh. And that a lot of it is likely due to Private Lives not being my cup of tea. However, I've always written honest opinions and my personal experience. As said before, there are quiet a few funny, witty lines that did make me laugh for one reason or another. However, it's not enough for me when you don't have a single character in the show (apart from the French maid Louise who pops in for less than five minutes), who you want to champion. It means that this adaptation of a play which I had heard is meant to fizz like a coupe of champagne is instead the flat dregs of the forgotten open bottom.