Fallen Angels is currently on the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s Upperstage. The Nöel Coward’s farce serves up a frothy treat, just like the champagne the characters drink throughout the show. The 2 ½ hour production has two intermissions, but the time flies by as the three act play provides continuous laughs.
As is the case in all farces, there is confusion and hilarity. Two “happily” married women watch their lives unravel when they receive a postcard from an old lover announcing his imminent arrival. Their husbands have left for a golfing weekend and the wives are left alone to sort through the mess before they return. It’s all restraint and repression at first, but rapid fire dialogue and copious amounts of alcohol quickly liven things up.
The subject matter is tame by today’s standards, but when it was written in 1925, it must have been scandalous. The two couples, Jane and Willy and Julia and Fred, have the perfect stiff upper lip relationships. Set in 1950s London, the play showcases elegant costumes, from the women’s evening gowns to the men’s cardigans.
Willy is played by Eric Parks, a performer at the American Players Theatre in Wisconsin and is making his IRT debut (Check out APT's 2012 season here). He, along with the three other leads, show us what happens when women are caught in the throes of romantic memories and their men take them for granted.
Saunders, the housekeeper, played by Susan Felder, is absolutely the highlight of the show. Whether she’s giving advice or playing guitar, she steals every scene she’s in. She seems to know a little bit about everything and provides a helping hand for the dithering women.
There's no shortage of laughs at the IRT right now. You can take your pick between the modern comedy, God of Carnage on the main stage or the period farce Fallen Angels on the Upperstage. Either way, make sure you see at least one of the shows. You'll be in for a funny night.
Don't Miss the Show
The Indiana Repertory Theatre is located at 140 W. Washington St.,Indianapolis, one-half block west of the Circle Center Mall between northbound Illinois St. and southbound Capitol Ave. "Fallen Angels" runs until Sunday,April 15 on IRT's Upperstage. Times for performances can be found at www.irtlive.com or by calling the IRT box office at (317) 635-5252. To purchase tickets call (317) 635-5252 or order online at www.irtlive.com
Photos Courtesy of the Indiana Repertory Theatre
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