The Avon Theatre has been part of the Stratford Festival since they purchased it in 1963. However it used to be the Albert Theatre, a vaudeville house, and was erected in 1901. In the 1930s it became the Majestic movie theatre and became the Avon around 1941. In 1956 the Stratford Festival began renting the space and bought it in 1963. The interior of the theatre seems to harken back to its heyday in the 30s and is very fitting for this season’s production of “Private Lives”:https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/WhatsOn/PlaysAndEvents/Production/Private-Lives by Noel Coward. The balconies, the chandeliers and the decoration above the stage all seem to mirror the rounded sets used to great effect in both acts of the play.
Private Lives is billed as a comedy of manners (or lack there-of) where the main characters banter with each other much to the shock of others. Essentially, a divorced couple marry new spouses, end up honeymooning at the same place and run into each other then run off together. It doesn’t take long for old issues to arise. It also doesn’t take long for their new spouses to catch up with them in Paris. It is thoroughly entertaining and a light option to some of the heavier topics of the day.
The play is running until October 26, 2019.
