Old flames and a long forgotten romance are reignited for the stage as Noel Coward’s classic play “Private Lives” comes to the Vaudeville Theatre in March 2010. It is a great opportunity, not only to witness the work of Noel Coward acted out on stage, but also to witness screen and stage stars Kim Cattrall and Matthew Macfadyen performing in the flesh.
The pair have both been seen on television and on the stage, with Cattrall still well known for her long running role as Samantha in “Sex & The City”, a character she also portrayed on the big screen in the anticipated movie version of 2007. Meanwhile, Macfadyen is perhaps best known for his roles in “Pride & Prejudice” and TV’s “Spooks”.
“Private Lives” is Noel Coward’s classic story of reckless lovers reigniting an old passion and betraying their new spouses along the way. We are introduced to Elyot and Amanda at the beginning of the show, two divorcees that have been separated for five years. Since parting they have both moved forwards with their lives and found new partners, to whom they have recently got married, leading to the setting which befalls the show. We meet them as they both coincidentally honeymoon with their new spouses in the same hotel in Southern France. They subsequently meet each other across two adjoining hotel balconies and a romance they thought was long gone is rekindled. So without a care for the consequences they continue where they left off, forgetting their new partners and casting aside the reasons why they parted in the first place.
Noel Coward’s comedy of manners has been seen on numerous occasions on both sides of the Atlantic, premiering at the Phoenix Theatre in 1930 after touring in the preceding months. Amongst the cast during this first show was Coward himself opposite icons such as Adrianne Allen, Gertrude Lawrence and Sir Laurence Olivier. After its 80 years in the hearts of audiences around the world, it returns to London for what should be a compelling and popular run.
Whilst Cattrall and Macfadyen have their screen roles to their names, they have both appeared on stage in roles ranging from Cattrall’s performances in “Whose Life Is It Anyway?” at the Donmar Warehouse and “A View From The Bridge” to Macfadyen’s appearances in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “The School For Scandal” for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
“Private Lives” appears at the Vaudeville Theatre from Wednesday 3rd March 2010 (previews from Wednesday 24th February 2010) to Saturday 1st May 2010.