Private Lives - Donmar Warehouse

I can't say I thought this was particularly political, or that Longhurst as a director is particularly political either?

Longhurst ? Really ? He's appointed an official "climate dramaturg" to the Donmar staff. 

From his programming we can easily infer what Longhurst is interested in: Climate change, identity politics, America, and film. Pretty standard for subsidised sector ADs. 

I hadn't thought of Longhurst as particularly political. Watch on the Rhine (directed by Ellen McDougal under his AD umbrella) and The Band's Visit were two of my favourite post-lockdown theatre outings. I thought his NT production of Amadeus was terrific. I first noticed his work when his first-rate direction of a so-so play, Carmen Disruption, somehow wrestled a good evening of theatre out of material that might otherwise have fallen flat.

I hadn't heard about the climate dramaturg, but just read this. It seems reasonable that theatres are looking at new ways of doing things: www.theunderstudy.co.uk/2021/10/zoe-svendsen-to-act-as-climate.html

But all that aside - I will be disappointed if Private Lives is a misery-fest.

No, they don't look, or act, much alike in practice.

Had never seen nor read Private Lives before today so I didn’t really know what to think going into this, and to caveat this I do like my comedy dark. That being said I had a really enjoyable evening, far more than I’d hoped. It was funny in parts, well acted and has a gorgeous set. Unexpectedly the best thing I’ve seen at the Donmar in a while.

I was in for this on Saturday night and it was the least enjoyable time I've ever had at the Donmar.

Extremely far away from being "my sort of thing", I found the whole show to be unforgivably boring. I clearly wasn't the only one as a bunch of people left at the interval. I wish I'd joined them.

Two hours watching awful characters being awful to each other, in a story that takes a long time to make the same point repeatedly.

Stephen Mangan was atrocious - he was dialling in a one-note performance with numerous line-fluffs. The others were good but couldn't save it.

1/5

I had a double Stephen Mangan day when I went - a Portrait Artist of the Year recording in the early afternoon in Battersea, with this in the evening. There had been a morning session which started at 10.

None of my business and I haven't seen him since A Christmas Carol, but I did wonder if he had a weight on his shoulders atm.

Fwiw, they were recording several of these over a two-week period so this doubling-up was not an abnormal day for him.

Private Lives is one of my favourite plays. Coward's wit and jokes still sparkle. I've even enjoyed lesser productions. So, having picked up that the Donmar's interpretation was more "serious", I prepared myself for disappointment.

Maybe it's my age, or my very dry -- and sometimes dark -- sense of humour, but I did not find this any less funny than previous versions. In fact, the darkness added deliciously to the piece. Looking around the audience, there were a lot of broad grins, but little belly laughter evident. I tried to suppress mine for fear of making a show of myself.

I am used to the relationship between Elyot and Amanda brimming with lavender affectation. Not so here. Mangan and Stirling play the emotions for real, in a way that is entirely believable. I thought their performances first rate, which is not to decry Carmichael and Yelda who provide strong support but in easier roles.

I didn't read anything into the interval musical shenanigans other than a bit of light-hearted tomfoolery, and it worked fine for me.

Either I could not here all the sound effects mentioned earlier from D26 downstairs, or they have been toned down. I certainly did not notice any augmentation to the sound of the thrown glass smashing. The way the cello and violin were used in sync with subtle lighting changes heightened the drama without being intrusive.

In such a small venue, Hildegard Bechtler has delivered an impressive set design. The blink-and-you-miss-it transformation of the Mediterranean sea into the Paris apartment between the first two acts was inspired.

Great acting, intelligent directing and Coward dialogue: a perfect evening at the theatre for me.

Five stars.

Acts 1 & 2: 19:47-21:00
Act 3: 21:21-21:53

It's interesting how the change in direction to make it has split opinions. I personally thought it worked but I was going in cold.

3* from me. It all seemed a bit flat and some of the genuinely comic lines didn’t land. I was OK with the “dark” reading. It seems Laura Carmichael has permanently left the cast which was a disappointment for my Downtown-loving companion. I like Rachel Stirling - perfect for Much Ado surely, Mangan too actually.

Michael Longhurst though, glad to see him go, only lasted 4 years the majority of which they were closed.

Is Laura really out for the rest of the run this week?  I have never seen this show before and was looking forward to seeing her in it.  

They emailed me to say she was out for the rest of the run due to personal issues (or similar wording). The understudy is fine - close your eyes and you wouldn’t know the difference.