WELCOME

‘I’ve sometimes thought of marrying - and then I’ve thought again.’ ~Noël Coward Dear Rep Family, There is nothing I love more dearly than a great comedy. Noël Coward is indeed one of the icons of the 20th-century reemergence of the Comedy of Manners, no one does it better. Coward offers us a much-needed escape into the hysterical with his unique brand of irreverent wit and the combustible rage of Elyot and Amanda in Private Lives. In this bawdy physical comedy, he challenges the notion that “you can never go home again” and instead begs the question, “Should you?” Inspired to write a star turn for his irrepressibly funny muse, best friend, and intellectual sparring partner, Gertrude “Gertie” Lawrence, Noël Coward penned Private Lives during a four-day fever rage in Shanghai. His dream was to create a theatrical vehicle for he and Gertie to perform together, building upon their penchant for verbal hijinx and insatiable drama. After finishing his draft of the play, Noël and Gertie exchanged the following cables: “HAVE WRITTEN DELIGHTFUL NEW COMEDY STOP GOOD PART FOR YOU (STOP) WONDERFUL ONE FOR ME (STOP) KEEP YOURSELF FREE FOR AUTUMN PRODUCTION.”

He then sent her a copy, and she replied: “HAVE READ NEW PLAY STOP NOTHING WRONG THAT CAN’T BE FIXED (STOP ) GERTIE” “THE ONLY THING THAT WILL NEED TO BE FIXED IS YOUR PERFORMANCE (STOP), NOEL” In a perfect comedy of errors, Gertie was referencing an autumn contract she needed to untangle herself from, and Noël thought she was challenging the quality of his writing. The two electrified audiences in London and New York as Elyot and Amanda - two radically selfinvolved people whose flames burn fast and hot before yielding to cold comfort and icy freezes. Filled with the lush extravagance of 1930s France and the unpredictable capers of our tumultuous lovers, Private Lives is the great escape that begs the question: passion or penance? Enjoy the ride!

Hana S. Sharif AUGUSTIN FAMILY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR