The golden age of Hollywood in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - November 27, 2011

The Lantern is staging a revival of Noel Coward's 1930 comedic farce, "Private Lives", a tale about a divorced couple whose romance is re-kindled while each is on their honeymoon with another.

The play is set in a small town in France where Amanda is honeymooning with her new husband Victor.

As tragically bad luck would have it, her ex-husband Elyot is honeymooning on the adjoining balcony.

Kathryn MacMillan, Director of Private Lives said, "Private Lives" is this great balance of sophistication and wit and repartee with some really deep themes about the nature of loneliness, why we can't be with the people we feel we're suited for."

Set in the leisurely, champagne-swilling, upper crust world of 1930s Britain, it is a behind-closed-doors look at the tempestuous relationship of 2 people desperately but destructively drawn to each other.

Ben Dibble who plays Elyot Chase said, "So it sort of explores this idea of how you know love and, love and hatred live side by side with these people in such close proximity and every moment drifts from one side to the other."

The Lantern, now in its 18th season, produces classic and modern classic plays that are, like Private Lives, designed to make you think.

"It deals with real human issues and universal issues of who we are and why we're here and what we want and why sometimes we come in conflict with people we love," said MacMillan.

Private Lives opens December 8th and runs through the 31st. For tickets and show times, visit Lantern Theatre Company
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