‘Fallen Angels’ Broadway review — Rose Byrne and Kelli O’Hara soar in an uproarious revival

Read our review of Fallen Angels on Broadway, a revival of Noël Coward's 1923 farce starring Kelli O’Hara and Rose Byrne at the Todd Haimes Theatre.

Summary

• Fallen Angels follows two married women who compete over a man they both had premarital affairs with
• Kelli O'Hara and Rose Byrne deliver excellent physical comedy that makes for good old-fashioned fun
• The show is recommended for fans of Golden Age Hollywood-era comedies; absurd humor; and appreciators of 1920s period decor and costumes

Kelli O’Hara and Rose Byrne are the perfect duo for a revival of Noël Coward's Fallen Angels, last on Broadway in 1956. The pair play two well-off married ladies in London who, while their husbands are away, eagerly await a visit from Maurice Duclos (Mark Consuelos), a Frenchman with whom they both had affairs before marriage. The women descend into a drunken stupor as they await his triumphant return.

It’s a premise so scandalous that a production was banned in 1926. One hundred years later, Fallen Angels plays as uproarious fun.

O’Hara leans fully into the physical comedy as Julia, sliding headfirst down a chair and hanging onto a telephone cord to steal the phone receiver from Jane (Byrne). The next morning, the countless champagne flutes catch up with her: She makes a hilarious, slow descent down the stairs, gripping the wall and inching along each step as a clap of thunder sends her reeling.

Byrne shines with her droll delivery of the play’s many zingy one-liners. In one scene, as the conspiratorial women discuss their past affair with Maurice, they change the subject each time the housemaid, Saunders (Tracee Chimo), enters the room, spouting random facts to distract. Byrne’s delivery of the line “I wonder if the ocean would be deeper if there were no sponges” left the audience howling. Her standout moment is a walk of shame for the ages — she returns from a night out with sky-high teased hair.

It really is the women who drive the comedy. Chimo's Saunders brings the farce into full swing with absurd, know-it-all confidence that stems from a wildly varied past behind the bar, at sea, and even in a convent.

The play is a feast for the eyes. Jeff Mahshie's 1920s costumes — lavender and chartreuse drop-waist evening gowns, ensembles finished with feathers and cloche hats — are a delight. Another highlight is David Rockwell’s pastel, confectionery-hued Art Deco set.

All in all, the production, headed by director Scott Ellis, is a laugh-out-loud evening at the theatre. It’s good old-fashioned comedy at its best.

Fallen Angels summary

When two well-heeled married women wake one morning with a shared sense of foreboding, they soon learn the past is returning to disrupt their present. While their husbands are away on a golf trip, the longtime friends receive unexpected postcards announcing the arrival in London of the irresistible Frenchman who once captured both of their hearts before marriage. As the women reminisce over champagne and profiteroles in full eveningwear, the anticipation turns to rivalry as their old affections lead to a comic battle for their old flame's attention.

What to expect at Fallen Angels

Fallen Angels is the first production staged at the newly renovated Todd Haimes Theatre, following a restoration of historic Italian Renaissance architectural details and new accessibility features. The show runs 90 minutes without an intermission and features the use of stage cigarettes.

What audiences are saying about Fallen Angels

Fallen Angels has a score of 88% on the audience review aggregator Show-Score, with audience members praising the leading ladies and the production design.

• “O'Hara and Byrne were hysterical in this lovely, witty revival. Physical comedy combined with inimitable Coward wit made this a total delight. The stars' ‘bender’ sequence was hilarious.” - Show-Score user Arthur 3333
• “A Noël Coward play perfectly cut from three acts to one, celebrating two wives who get drunk and fight about a former lover when their husbands go off to play golf. With outstanding actors, beautiful set and costumes, perfect pacing of the story, and their tipsy theatrics—rarely produced, go see it immediately! - Show-Score user Ellen P
• “The story and acting were very energetic, with beautiful costumes and a well-designed stage. The theatre was big, and it was renovated very nicely.” - Show-Score user Madelyn R
• “This was a sparkling, fizzy comedy, like theatrical champagne. The production and the performances were delightful.” - Show-Score user Stephen V

Read more audience reviews of Fallen Angels on Show-Score.

Who should see Fallen Angels

• Fans of Kelli O’Hara — a Broadway favorite, known for work spanning classic musicals and opera to period TV dramas and now farce — will find plenty to enjoy here. Her performance in Fallen Angels highlights her sharp comedic timing.
• Those who enjoy Rose Byrne’s onscreen comedy, most famously in the film Bridesmaids, will relish seeing her command the stage. Her other New York stage credits include Medea at BAM in 2020 and You Can’t Take It With You on Broadway in 2014.
• Fans of Golden Age Hollywood-era comedies and absurd humor will like this rarely produced Noël Coward play. Fallen Angels offers good, classic fun.

Learn more about Fallen Angels on Broadway

Fallen Angels is an all-around delight, from its starry cast to its exuberant physical comedy and beautiful costumes. This century-old play still offers a welcome dose of comic relief.

Learn more and get Fallen Angels tickets on New York Theatre Guide. Fallen Angels is at the Todd Haimes Theatre through June 7.

Photo credit: Fallen Angels on Broadway. (Photos by Joan Marcus)