Here's a worst case scenario. You're off on a honeymoon in some romantic location when you discover that your ex-wife is also spending her own honeymoon in the same hotel. Not only that, but she's staying in the room next to yours, and the two of you share a balcony.

Sounds like the makings of a screwball comedy, and that's just what Private Lives, this week's No Refund Theatre (NRT) presentation, is.

Private Lives director Ryan Teitman (senior-English) was inspired to direct this romantic comedy after he first saw it performed at a London playhouse.

"It was just so funny," Teitman said. "It really shows how different love can be; how it can be passionate but also come with a lot of baggage."

Private Lives, which is being performed at 8 p.m. tomorrow and Saturday in 111 Forum, was originally written in the early 1930s by British playwright Noel Coward.

Coward's play starts off with the coincidental meeting of Elyot and Amanda, a divorced couple, honeymooning with their new spouses in the same hotel. After the two run into each other, they immediately realize they're still in love and end up running off together. Of course, the jilted spouses aren't too happy about being left behind, and when they confront Elyot and Amanda, things start to get complicated.

Jason Poorman (senior-integrative arts), who plays Elyot, said his character's complex relationship with Amanda is what fuels many of the conflicts within the play.

"Our characters are both so strong-willed and sarcastic," Poorman said. "They're like these upper class British people who get out of control."

Poorman said people within the play often describe his character as being flippant, an attitude that is adopted by many of the play's other characters.

Chelsea Compton (sophomore-theatre and film), who plays Amanda, said that because a lot of the play's humor is so subtle, it's important for everyone to understand the line intonations so that the character banter comes off just right.

"Before our rehearsal everyday, Ryan tells us to speak to each other in our British accents, so that we can practice how we sound," Compton said.

Compton added that when it comes to practicing her lines, she still laughs at a lot of the same jokes in Private Lives because, to her, they never get old.

"It's great doing a comedy because you're going into rehearsal everyday laughing and joking," Compton said.

Teitman said that so far, he's loved working with and getting to know the small cast.

"It's great having a closer relationship with everyone and being able to give them more input," Teitman said. "I mean, the whole show will rest on a few performances, but everyone has been so outstanding so far, I'm really confident."