A Noel Coward Classic at ART
January 28, 2010 3:44 pmDesign for Living follows a trio of friends over a number of years and explores the dynamics of love and friendship. What happens when you love both your friends and you can’t choose which one you should be with? What happens when you figure it might just be better to leave and let them be friends? Can a dynamic trio be accomplished? These are all questions that Noel Coward raised with his 1932 play being performed now at Artists Repertory Theatre.
Now I’ve seen shows of varying degrees at ART in recent years. Design for Living, however, was one of the better ones. Despite the length it proved to be a solid, if not mostly enjoyable show.
The show was a bit slow to start, but that’s more the script’s blame than the production’s. The first intermission, that’s right more than one, seems to disrupt the nice pace that has developed at the end of the first act. While the second intermission seemed to fall more naturally.
Todd Van Voris and Michael Mendelson are quite the comedic duo, and once this potenial is unleashed you want nothing more than the show to continue with these two alone. Vana O’Brien provided a nice comedic break in the second act, while it seems Sarah Lucht failed to carry the same vitality as her male counterparts.
Jon Kretzu did a wonderful job of creating beautiful stage pictures and a solid pace throughout. Some of the Noel Coward’s more beautiful passages, however, could have been indulged a tad more.
Jeff Seats did a stellar job of creating three different and distinct locations by simple transformations the basic layout. Making the set a key player in the show. It’s a pleasure to return from intermission to see how so many small changes can effect a huge difference.
Overall Design for Living provides an enjoyable evening. Have a drink and settle into ART for a look into the complicated relationships of friends and lovers.
Design for Living is playing at Artists Repertory Theatre on the Morrison stage from now until Feb. 7th.
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