Artistic Director Rob Melrose’s Reflections – Noël Coward’s Private Lives
Plenty of people are funny—but only a rare few have wit so sharp, so dazzling, it becomes legendary. Think Oscar Wilde. Cole Porter. Dorothy Parker. Noël Coward. Private Lives may be the finest showcase of Coward’s razor-edged humor: elegant, biting, and hilariously brutal in its portrayal of love and loathing.
What excites me most about director KJ Sanchez’s vision is her decision to relocate the play to Argentina and Uruguay. Private Lives revolves around the magnetic push and pull of romance—the spark of attraction, the sting of separation. KJ amplifies this emotional dance by incorporating an actual dance: the tango. Rooted in South American tradition, the tango simmers with sensuality and seethes with tension—just like Coward’s dueling lovers.
Their flirtations, feuds, and fast-paced banter find a perfect mirror in the tango’s smoldering embraces and fiery footwork. The result is a fresh, invigorating take on a classic comedy of manners.
I hope you enjoy this passionate and imaginative reimagining of Private Lives.
