Comedy thriller Private Eyes explores love, betrayal, and illusion in Theatre Palisades’ latest production
Theatre Palisades opens its latest production, Private Eyes, a comedy by acclaimed playwright Steven Dietz that runs from November 8 through December 15. Known as a “relationship thriller,” Private Eyes explores themes of love, betrayal, and the fluidity of reality, keeping audiences guessing at every turn.
In Private Eyes, Matthew suspects his wife, Lisa, of having an affair with Adrian, a British theater director. But as the story unfolds, it’s unclear if the affair is real, part of the play they’re rehearsing, or a figment of Matthew’s imagination meant to entertain his therapist, Frank. The mystery deepens with the arrival of Cory, a mysterious woman who casts even more doubt on what is real. In Dietz’s spiraling narrative, the audience plays the role of detective, unraveling what is truth and what is illusion.
Praised by The Village Voice as “a Pirandellian smooch to the mercurial nature of theatrical illusion and romantic truth,” Dietz’s work has been celebrated for its masterful pacing and clever structure. The Chicago Tribune also lauded Private Eyes as “a Chinese box full of tricks and surprises,” calling it the most artful piece of its season.
Private Eyes performances are scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m., with the final show on Sunday, December 15, at Theatre Palisades in Pacific Palisades. Tickets are available through the Theatre Palisades box office and at https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=202617.
