Fallen Angels, Nöel Coward’s drunken toast to the pre-marital dalliances of two wives with the same man, opened on Broadway on April 19. Directed by Scott Ellis, the production is only the second Broadway revival of Fallen Angels, and the first in 70 years. The cast looked heavenly on the opening night carpet, taking a moment to speak with Broadway.com about the comedy.
Rose Byrne, a recent Academy Award nominee who plays Jane Banbury in Fallen Angels, has not done a play in five years. Despite the rigorous task of performing eight shows a week, the script itself was what drew Byrne into the project. “It is rare to see a comedic two-hander for women, particularly on stage,” Byrne says. She calls her co-star, Kelli O’Hara, “a national treasure.” “She’s effortless, I feel safe with her on stage, but she’s also spontaneous,” Byrne says. “It’s very hard to do both things, and she’s extraordinary.”
O’Hara, who plays Byrne’s counterpart Julia Sterroll, jumped at the chance to be in Fallen Angels. “It’s two ladies at the helm of a great comedy with a little agency,” says O’Hara. “I don’t get a chance to do that that often.”
As Saunders the maid, Tracee Chimo is enjoying celebrating women being free and messy in the 100-year-old play. “It’s something that’s very timely, actually, and empowering for women,” she says.
Mark Consuelos, who is making his Broadway debut as Maurice Duclos, knows he’s being spoiled. “I love the sets, I love the costumes, I love the shared experience the audience gets,” he says. “I’m just a fan of theater in New York.” So are we, Mark. So are we.
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