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<P align=center><FONT color=#00407f size=5 face="comic sans ms"><FONT size=4>From </FONT>Christine Howey's <STRONG><FONT size=6>Rave and Pan</FONT></STRONG></FONT>
<P align=center><FONT color=#00407f size=5 face="comic sans ms"><FONT color=#000000>posted at </FONT><A href="http://raveandpan.blogspot.com/" rel=nofollow target=_blank><SPAN id=lw_1253906871_4 class=yshortcuts><FONT color=#810081>http://raveandpan.blogspot.com</FONT></SPAN></A> </FONT>
<P align=center><FONT color=#00407f size=5 face="Comic Sans MS">a review of Lakeland Theatre's <BR><FONT color=#bf005f size=6><STRONG>PRIVATE LIVES</STRONG></FONT></FONT><FONT color=#bf005f size=6 face="Comic Sans MS"><STRONG> </STRONG>
<H2 class=date-header>Friday, September 25, 2009</H2>
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<H3 class="post-title entry-title"><A href="http://raveandpan.blogspot.com/2009/09/private-lives-lakeland-theatre.html" rel=nofollow target=_blank><SPAN id=lw_1254487885_2 class=yshortcuts><FONT color=#0000ff>Private Lives, Lakeland Theatre</FONT></SPAN></A> </H3>
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<DIV class="post-body entry-content"><A href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Dnyq0y-XG3g/Srzjo6DAhnI/AAAAAAAAAMs/ZSLXetgFqD8/s1600-h/IMG_1133+as+Smart+Object-1.jpg" rel=nofollow target=_blank><STRONG><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: pointer" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385429546344416882 border=0 alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Dnyq0y-XG3g/Srzjo6DAhnI/AAAAAAAAAMs/ZSLXetgFqD8/s320/IMG_1133+as+Smart+Object-1.jpg"></STRONG></A><FONT color=#111111 size=5><STRONG>(Emily Pucell and Sebastian Orr are dazzling as Amanda and Elyot)<BR><BR></STRONG><FONT size=4><STRONG>It might seem that producing an airy, feather-light comedy would be a rather easy task. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, such light bits of fluff are demanding on both actors and director, since the timing, pace and characterizations must be close to perfect lest the meringue fall flat into a gooey
lump.<BR><BR><SPAN style="FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Private Lives</SPAN> by <SPAN id=lw_1254487885_3 class=yshortcuts>Noel Coward</SPAN>, wickedly witty and gaily mischievous, is just such a delicate creation. And the current production at the </STRONG></FONT></FONT><A href="http://lakelandcc.edu/academic/arts/theatre/" rel=nofollow target=_blank><FONT color=#111111 size=4><SPAN id=lw_1254487885_4 class=yshortcuts><STRONG>Lakeland Theatre</STRONG></SPAN></FONT></A><FONT color=#111111 size=4><STRONG>, on the <SPAN id=lw_1254487885_5 class=yshortcuts>Lakeland Community College campus</SPAN>, turns out to be a frothy meringue of the first magnitude.<BR><BR>Although there are five cast members in this show, it is essentially a two-person prizefight between Elyot and Amanda, two upper class English folk with enough time and money to focus all their attentions—both cuddly and snarky—on each other. And under the pitch-perfect direction of
Martin Friedman, actors Sebastian Orr and Emily Pucell deliver a thoroughly polished, completely delightful rendition of this whirling hate-love-hate-love-hate-love relationship.<BR><BR>Having divorced each other before the show begins, Elyot and Amanda each show up on adjoining balconies at the <SPAN style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; CURSOR: hand" id=lw_1254487885_6 class=yshortcuts>French Riviera</SPAN> with their new spouses, Sibyl and Victor. It doesn’t take long for Elyot and Amanda to share a glance, then a cocktail, and then fly off to Paris to restart their tumultuous life together.<BR><BR>From the start, Orr is every inch the dapper yet mercurial Elyot. Coming across like a slim, elegant <SPAN id=lw_1254487885_7 class=yshortcuts>David Niven</SPAN>, Orr makes this essentially over-the-top character remarkably believable and, always, a joy to behold. And the lovely Pucell is his equal in all
ways, snapping off Coward’s pithy bon mots (“Extraordinary how potent cheap music is.”) with charming precision.<BR><BR>Orr and Pucell’s time together on stage (and it is ample) covers all the bases—from tender cooing to physical blows. And it all works sublimely well, with the transitions employing stretches of silence that magnify both the tension and the comedy. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine Coward himself and <SPAN id=lw_1254487885_8 class=yshortcuts>Gertrude Lawrence</SPAN> doing it much better in the original stage production back in 1931.<BR><BR>Among the supporting characters, Alison Bencar picks up the Coward vibe and handles the irritating role of the uber-feminine Sibyl with style. But as dull Victor, Joshua D. Brown emanates a drabness that is less "dowdy Brit all at sea" and more middle manager at Avery Dennison. However, Brown rallies a bit in the final act when Victor and Alison get into their own spat. As the maid Louise,
Christina Dennis handles the French accent but can’t quite find her comedic hook.<BR><BR>Still, this is one play where the two leads must carry the day. And in this production, Orr and Pucell are so good you want to pack them up and take them home with you.<BR><BR><SPAN style="FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Private Lives</SPAN><BR><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Through <SPAN style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id=lw_1254487885_9 class=yshortcuts>October 11</SPAN> at the Lakeland Theatre,</SPAN><BR><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><SPAN id=lw_1254487885_10 class=yshortcuts>Lakeland Community College</SPAN>, Rt. 306 and Rt. 90,</SPAN><BR><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Kirtland, <SPAN style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; CURSOR: hand" id=lw_1254487885_11 class=yshortcuts>440-525-7526</SPAN></SPAN> </STRONG></FONT></DIV>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><STRONG>Production Dates:<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></STRONG></SPAN></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><STRONG><FONT size=3><st1:time Hour="19" Minute="30"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #007f7f"></SPAN></st1:time><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></STRONG></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><STRONG><FONT size=3><st1:time Hour="14" Minute="0"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #007f7f"></SPAN></st1:time><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></STRONG></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><STRONG><FONT size=3><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #007f7f">Friday, October 2 @ </SPAN><st1:time Hour="19" Minute="30"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #007f7f">7:30 p.m.</SPAN></st1:time><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></STRONG></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><STRONG><FONT size=3><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #007f7f">Saturday, October 3 @ </SPAN><st1:time Hour="19" Minute="30"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #007f7f">7:30 p.m.</SPAN></st1:time><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></STRONG></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><STRONG><FONT size=3><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #007f7f">Sunday, October 4 @ </SPAN><st1:time Hour="14" Minute="0"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #007f7f">2:00 p.m.</SPAN></st1:time><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></STRONG></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><STRONG><FONT size=3><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #007f7f">Friday, October 9 @ </SPAN><st1:time Hour="19" Minute="30"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #007f7f">7:30 p.m.</SPAN></st1:time><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></STRONG></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><STRONG><FONT size=3><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #007f7f">Saturday, October 10 @ </SPAN><st1:time Hour="19" Minute="30"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #007f7f">7:30 p.m.</SPAN></st1:time><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></STRONG></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><STRONG><FONT size=3><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #007f7f">Sunday, October 11 @ </SPAN><st1:time Hour="14" Minute="0"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #007f7f">2:00 p.m.</SPAN></st1:time><SPAN> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></STRONG></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><SPAN style="COLOR: #c00000"> </SPAN></FONT><SPAN><STRONG><FONT size=3>For more information please feel free to either email me, Martin Friedman, at </FONT></STRONG><A href="http://mail.yahoo.com/config/login?/ym/Compose?To=martinfriedman98@yahoo.com" target=_blank><SPAN style="COLOR: #438059"><STRONG><FONT size=3>martinfriedman98@yahoo.com</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></A><STRONG><FONT size=3><SPAN style="COLOR: #438059"> or call 440.525.7526. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and $5 for students. Group rates are available. </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #823857">Performances will be held in the Performing Arts Center at </SPAN><st1:place><st1:PlaceName><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #823857">Lakeland</SPAN></st1:PlaceName><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #823857"> </SPAN><st1:PlaceType><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #823857">Community College</SPAN></st1:PlaceType></st1:place><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #823857"> . Take I 90 east and exit at the second exit, Route #306. Turn right (south) on Rt. #306. Turn left into the </SPAN><st1:place><st1:PlaceName><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #823857">Lakeland</SPAN></st1:PlaceName><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #823857"> </SPAN><st1:PlaceType><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #823857">Community
College</SPAN></st1:PlaceType></st1:place><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #823857"> , the first light. Get in the right lane. Turn right at the stop sign. Turn right at the next stop sign. Turn left into the faculty/staff parking lot. The theatre is to the left of the clock tower. </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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