Posts tagged noel coward

“Extraordinary how potent cheap music is!”

I will admit that I was a bit nervous as to how Kim Cattrall would fair onstage in Private Lives, but not nervous enough to keep me from buying a ticket. Noel Coward’s Private Lives is a classic comedy about an ex-husband and wife, Elliot (Paul Gross) and Amanda (Kim Cattrall),  who wind up staying in adjacent hotel suites on their honeymoons with their new beaus and end up running away together because their attraction to one another is just that strong. Their new husband and wife, Victor (Simon Paisley Day) and Sybil (Anna Madeley), find them a few days later in an epic brawl in Amanda’s flat in Paris and they question what they should do going forward - make-up? Divorce?

The cast is absolutely stellar with not a weak link on the stage.  The sets are beautiful and the direction is great.  I waited after the show to get Playbills signed for my two Sex and the City-obsessed best friends and Ms. Cattrall was gracious and signed my three playbills without question.  She’s also quite beautiful up-close!

Private Lives is a classic and this production would make Mr. Coward proud. 

3 notes

Comments

#private lives

#noel coward

#broadway

#theatre

#reviews

#plays

#kim cattrall
Text

Text Post

Date

5 months ago

My first reaction to Brief Encounter, written by Noel Coward and adapted by Emma Rice, last night was, “Wow, that was different” and in a good way.  Slow moving it was, strange to the umpteenth degree too, but it was a different show and I can certainly understand why people are saying it’s amazing.  Brief Encounter is based on the movie of the same title and tells the story of what happens to two strangers who serendipitously meet in a train station and the subsequent brief encounters that lead to their affair. The staging reminded me of The 39 Steps, in the way it was a black and white movie-turned-play with numerous ridiculous (but hilarious and well-executed) props.  The set was versatile but relied heavily on the upstage scrim on which numerous images and backdrops were projected.  The supporting cast members also doubled as musicians when some of Noel Coward’s songs were interspersed through out the scenes.    I was often confused by the dramatic “whoosh’s” that would blow through the actors onstage and pause the action for a moment (with waves crashing in the background) but overall it was pretty easy to stay on course with such a simple story line.  Anyone who is into design should definitely consider a viewing of Brief Encounter.  If you want to see something different, this is also a show for you.  Brief Encounter is playing at Studio 54 through December 5th.  More information here.  (photo via playbill.com)

My first reaction to Brief Encounter, written by Noel Coward and adapted by Emma Rice, last night was, “Wow, that was different” and in a good way.  Slow moving it was, strange to the umpteenth degree too, but it was a different show and I can certainly understand why people are saying it’s amazing. 

Brief Encounter is based on the movie of the same title and tells the story of what happens to two strangers who serendipitously meet in a train station and the subsequent brief encounters that lead to their affair.

The staging reminded me of The 39 Steps, in the way it was a black and white movie-turned-play with numerous ridiculous (but hilarious and well-executed) props.  The set was versatile but relied heavily on the upstage scrim on which numerous images and backdrops were projected.  The supporting cast members also doubled as musicians when some of Noel Coward’s songs were interspersed through out the scenes.   

I was often confused by the dramatic “whoosh’s” that would blow through the actors onstage and pause the action for a moment (with waves crashing in the background) but overall it was pretty easy to stay on course with such a simple story line. 

Anyone who is into design should definitely consider a viewing of Brief Encounter.  If you want to see something different, this is also a show for you. 

Brief Encounter is playing at Studio 54 through December 5th.  More information here. 

(photo via playbill.com)

Comments

#brief encounter

#noel coward

#roundabout theatre company

#broadway

#theatre

#reviews
Photo

Photo Post

Date

1 year ago