PRIVATE LIVES at Independent Shakespeare Co.

Melissa Chalsma and David Melville. Photo by Grettel Cortes.

Katie Buenneke – Stage Raw.

At moments, the play is an absolute delight. Melville seems born to play a Coward crank, and really shines in the role. Chalsma is charming, especially when Amanda is at her most flustered. Charles is also strong as Victor, a gentleman who reaches his breaking point as things cycle out of control. Unfortunately, even though it’s a farce, both Iyer as Sibyl and Norlani Estevez as Louise’s performances feel a little broad for the small venue.

Director Nikhil Pai has transposed the piece from Europe circa 1930 to California and Mexico in the 1950s, with a few geographic and pop culture updates to the script. Aside from a different kind of glamor (which really comes to life when the set transforms after intermission, in the show’s second and third acts), I didn’t find that this added much to the piece.  Read more…

Tracey Paleo – BroadwayWorld

Independent Shakespeare has certainly created a somewhat “boundless” rendition of this once glittering classic in its attempt to resurrect a sensibly witty though occasionally stodgy, gossamer. Risqué, however, is definitely not an attribution that even has the ability for impact considering modern social constructs, attitudes, and norms that have essentially now recognized this as acceptable. And that might be where this unrevelatory play about two warring divorcees, on the ground level, simply falls down. Read more…

Patrick Chavis – LA Theatre Bites

Private Lives @ Independent Shakespeare Company – 7.3 out of 10! Average Show! Read More…