Private Lives Revival at Hope Mill Theatre: A Tumultuous Take on Coward's Classic
Amy Gavin's production of Noël Coward's iconic 1930 play, Private Lives, currently running at Hope Mill theatre in Manchester, delivers a revival that amplifies the dangerous dance of desire and violence at its core. Staged by Her Productions, this version arrives just months before another production is set to open at the Royal Exchange across town, offering audiences a fresh and intense interpretation of the classic work.
Balancing Comedy and Malice in a Timeless Tale
At the heart of Private Lives lies the acrimoniously divorced couple, Amanda and Elyot, who unexpectedly reunite while honeymooning with their new spouses. The play is renowned for its delicate balance between comedy and malice, as the fierce love that once bound them together reignites, leading them to abscond and embark on a tumultuous relationship filled with passion and conflict.
Gavin's production is at its strongest when it teeters on the knife-edge between carnality and cruelty. After a somewhat grating and broad first act that introduces the protagonists and their insipid new partners, the narrative settles into a compelling rhythm once the action moves to Amanda and Elyot's Parisian bolthole. Here, the audience is drawn into their volatile dynamic, where love can swiftly sour into contempt, and a slap is never far from a kiss.
Performances That Sizzle and Spar
The standout performance comes from Her Productions' artistic director, Hannah Ellis Ryan, who portrays Amanda with a sophisticated sheen that barely conceals a restless, prowling energy. This intensity is fully unleashed upon her reunion with Elyot, played by Charlie Nobel. While Nobel may not fully capture the charm that draws Amanda back to him, the fizzing chemistry between the two actors boils over into something more visceral and, at times, ugly.
In contrast, Hope Yolanda's twitchy Sybil and Jack Elliot's decent-but-dull Victor are played purely for laughs, which sometimes feels jarring. Their characters seem like creatures from another world, wrenching the play back into the realm of awkward comedy whenever they interrupt the central couple's love-hate tryst.
Amplifying Brutality at the Expense of Nuance
Gavin has made a deliberate choice to amp up the brutality in this revival, incorporating wince-inducing instances of violence that sit uncomfortably alongside the play's comic moments. These elements, combined with scenes that occasionally veer into the cartoonish, result in a production that struggles to maintain the delicate balance for which Coward's work is famous.
By pressing too hard on extremes, this version sacrifices nuance and detail, making it challenging to fully engage with the characters' motivations. As a result, the production sometimes falters in making a compelling case for why audiences should still care about Private Lives nearly a century after its debut.
Private Lives runs at Hope Mill theatre in Manchester until 8 February, before moving to The Dukes in Lancaster from 24-28 February.
