By Aline Mahrud

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 27 May 2023 (last night)

There’s a moment during this dark Noel Coward revival when Stephen Mangan’s Elyot expertly plays his wordless response to Rachael Stirling’s ex-wife Sibyl (The Way You Look Tonight) on the piano and it’s absolutely exquisite.

• Read on for reasons including how this revival accentuated the darkness of the hilarious script

1930’s Private Lives is the story of a divorced couple – Elyot and Amanda – who meet on a shared balcony in a French hotel while they are honeymooning with their new spouses.

Stirling’s (Scandaltown, Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith) Amanda is magnificent, bold, outspoken, contrary and quite captivating.

We’ve never been fans of Mangan’s (The Birthday Party, Harold Pinter Theatre) but this is the best we’ve seen him and his laidback acting style suits this comical tale of warring ex-partners who reunite in a controversial 2nd act which takes place away from the balcony and on the more conventional stage at the centre of this intimate venue.

Laura Carmichael (The Maids, Trafalgar Studios) initally played Elyot’s new wife Sibyl but dropped out of the production shortly before tonight’s last night and here she is replaced by Alice Orr-Ewing who gives no hint in her performance about her rapid promotion.

The cast is rounded out by Sargon Yelda (One Voice, Old Vic) who plays the rather buttoned-up Victor and director Michael Longhurst’s (The Band’s Visit, Donmar) revival succeeds in conveying the tautness and wit of Coward’s fine script.

Stars including Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor (The Motive And The Cue, National Theatre) and Maggie Smith and Robert Stephens directed by John Gielgud have appeared in previous productions of Private Lives.

Alan Rickman and Lindsay Duncan starred in a 2001 London revival which emphasised the harshness and darker side of the play and we feel Longhurst’s production has pushed it even further in that direction to its detriment.

Private Lives made us remember how funny Noel Coward was and we look forward to catching more revivals of his most popular works in the coming months and years.

• Main picture via Facebook courtesy Donmar Warehouse Tickets
• Have you heard been to the Donmar Warehouse before and what did you think of the show you saw there? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
• Enjoyed this review? Follow monstagigz on Twitter @monstagigz, email neildurham3@gmail.com and check us out on Instagram and Facebook