REVIEW: Private Lives

'Presentiments are far from being nonsense,' says Elyot to his former wife Amanda in Private Lives as he suggests they desert their new spouses while on honeymoon.

My own presentiment is that this production of the Coward classic at the Devonshire Park, directed by Eastbourne-based Chris Jordan, will need no honeymoon period and should achieve rapid success nationally.

Honey-mooning, as one of the characters observes, is a very over-rated amusement.

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All four principals ensure their exchanges are clipped but never garbled while Steven Pinder (Elyot) and Sara Crowe (Amanda) prove equal to the demands of the sparring in the Paris scene, sustaining the physical comedy throughout.

Jordan's direction of the opening at Deauville underlines the beautiful symmetry of the first act and his approach abounds in wonderful touches such as Amanda first espying Elyot on the adjacent balcony in her makeup mirror.

Nobody is foolish enough to ape Coward's own diction but the delivery is always as brittle as the Chinese porcelain that set designer Julie Godfrey brings to her excellent realisation of the apartment.

I last saw Emily Pennant-Rea as an excellent Kitty in Mel Smith's frenetic version of Charley's Aunt. Here she impresses as Sibyl, and like her husband Victor (played by Kevin Pallister), is able to step out of a stolid, stereotypical role and go up several emotional gears when required.

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Sparks fly in all the right places while as the French maid, Judith Rae puts in excellent support work and mines a rich comic seam. Douglas Morgan's lighting, particularly his representation of Paris sunshine, is similarly effective.

On press night, Pinder's presence at the piano for a reprise of Some Day I'll Find You touched the whole audience. Strange how potent cheap music is but less strange that in Chris Jordan's assured hands, Eastbourne Theatres should be responsible for a resounding success.

Private Lives is performed tonight (Fri 27 June] and tomorrow at 7.45 with a 2.30 matinee on Saturday. Tickets: box office 01323 412000, credit card booking line 01323 411555.

Jeremy Malies