the Jabulani Repertory Company presents Noel Coward's `Private Lives'.

For many, this witty and romantic comedy will provide a trip down memory lane, for, since its London premiere in 1930, it has proved to be a constant box-office hit on both sides of the Atlantic.

"We are doing it as a re-creation of the '30's, a nostalgic visit to a special time,'' says producer Dusty Hind.

For Helen Coffey and Richard Fell, who play Amanda and Elyot (following in the footsteps of Coward himself and Gertrude Lawrence, and in a later famous production, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton), it is their third appearance together.

"We have also done `Relatively Speaking' and `Educating Rita' for Jabulani and I think we work well together,'' says Mr. Fell.

Directed by Annette Hallett and with Nancy Thompson, Matthew Clifford and Janet Pyrah completing the cast, Mr. Fell says he is thrilled to be doing a play that has always intrigued him.

"I've always wanted to do a Coward piece -- after all, he did live just across the harbour here, in the 1950's! And,'' he adds, "it is certainly his most famous comedy.'' Explaining that when the affluent Amanda and Elyot meet again by chance, they have been divorced for five years, Mr. Fell and Ms Coffey agree that the characters they portray are "really carbon copies who should never have married in the first place!'' "Nancy Thompson is quite wonderful as Sybil and Matthew Clifford is the perfect `deb's delight', and Janet speaks her part of the maid in perfect French,'' says Ms Coffey. "We have a really nice cast and director and we've all done a lot of bonding!'' With Liz Campbell in charge of the "gorgeous'' '30's fashions and Richard Klesniks once again designing the famous hotel balcony room, both are confident that `Private Lives' will be one of Jabulani's most memorable productions.

`Private Lives' opens at the Hamilton Princess tomorrow, for a three-night run. After that, `Driving Miss Daisy' returns for another two-week run.