CEDAR CITY – The Utah Shakespearean Festival presentation of “Private Lives,” by Noel Coward, offers a witty, but complex portrayal of one couple’s roller coaster relationship that keeps audiences either laughing or horrified at their antics while still being amused.

The story of the play centers around a couple who divorced because they drove each other crazy, but like it or not, they are indelibly linked on the emotional level. That realization comes when they meet again while honeymooning with new spouses.

Elyot Chase and his ex-wife, Amanda Prynne, meet again in a serendipitous situation in which their honeymoon suites (complete with beautiful outdoor terraces) happen to be right next door to each other.

Don Burroughs, who also performs multiple roles in this USF season’s production of “As You Like It,” plays the role of Elyot. In the beginning scenes he exhibits a lack of enthusiasm or passion toward his new wife, Sybil. It is evident in his scenes with Sybil that he has not necessarily married a second time for love. In fact, it is difficult to figure out exactly why he got into his second marriage.

The character of Sybil, who is played by Katie Whetsell, is obviously young and inexperienced in life; otherwise she would have noticed Elyot’s behavior toward her before the marriage (unless he was different then). Whetsell does “haughty” well in terms of the way she is constantly comparing herself favorably against Elyot’s first wife.

She also goes into “drama queen” mode very easily. When she gets started crying toward the end of the first act, she runs with it. The same thing happens in the second act.

Carol Linnea Johnson plays the role of Amanda with sophisticated style and passion. She appears to be Elyot’s true match in every way. When he is sarcastic, she is able to bite back. She is definitely no shrinking violet.

The second act takes place in Amanda’s Paris flat after she and Elyot have run away together, leaving their new spouses behind. This is where story becomes a roller coaster of emotion between the two of them, going from contentment to fighting and back again, and up and down it goes, as they discover their old issues are very much alive.

When Sybil and Amanda’s new husband, Victor Prynne, show up at the flat, things get even crazier.

The cast is very small, with only five people, and the primary action is between Elyot and Amanda, who carry the play. They get excellent support, however, from the rest of the cast, which include Whetsell as well as Michael Brusasco who plays the proudly “normal” Victor, and Lillian Castillo who plays a bewildered Louise, the French maid.

The play is a fun ride with Elyot and Amanda, with added bumps from Victor and Sybil, but it is good idea to leave the kiddies at home.