Well, Saturday was the climax of our journey toward realizing this play. We made it! And with a sparkling crowd of loyal patrons, illustrious board members, and dignitary guests, we did it up right. The food was sumptuous, the audience well dressed, and the martinis flowed as only in a Noël Coward plot. We were more than  ready to enjoy ourselves by the time the lights came up on this labor of love. And believe it or not, they loved it as much as I do.

The cast was equally jazzed and eager to show their stuff. Everything went smoothly. We reveled in the bright and brittle barbs and witty repartee as well as the overweening and unforgiving excesses of love.

Evidence to that effect is to be found in the rave review from Natalie de la Garza at the Houston Press. “Noël Coward’s not considered the master for nothing. . .. he’s one of the greatest British playwrights ever, but a viewing of Private Lives will give you a pretty good idea, too. . . . But the real magic of the play is in his craftsmanship. It’s in the whip-smart, unforgiving dialogue. The clever mirroring. The depth. All of which demand a strong-handed director and a talented cast. Guess where you can find both.

“….Hart-Palumbo skillfully leads the actors through this second act wind-up, ratcheting up the tension between the two characters through barely contained barbs, foot stomps, lid slams, newspaper openings until no word [catchprhase] can stop the surge of vitriol and violence. And not for nothing, it’s a testament to Black, Brincks, and Hart-Palumbo that they were able to keep a play that includes honest to goodness domestic abuse so light.”

Houston Press review

This should sell some tickets, along with the word of mouth from sold out performances on Saturday and Sunday. Call for tickets soon, before they are all gone. Main Street Theater, 713-524-6706.

Photo above courtesy of Pin Lim and Main Street Theater.