Early Coward Fallen Angels at Vienna's International Theatre, thru July 4

Fallen Angels, an early play by British wit Noel Coward, opens at Vienna's International Theatre (IT), May 5.

After its London premiere in 1925, Fallen Angels was the subject of many discussions, as it dared to show that "nice women" might have a sexual life independent of marriage.

Two women who are happily but rather tediously married are horrified to discover that the romantic Frenchman they both had affairs with years ago is coming to pay them a visit. Coward, who cleverly disguised a French sex farce as a British drawing room comedy, put a new twist on this classic situation: The wives are not as concerned that their husbands may find out, as they are that their ex-lover may attempt to re-kindle the amorous relationship. Or, worse yet, he may not.

Broader and looser than his later works, Fallen Angels established Coward at once as the master of comic dialogue and high-class shenanigans. In the IT's production of Fallen Angels, which runs till July 4, Don Fenner directs Laura Mitchell and Marissa Afton as the two ladies. Brian Hatfield and Marissa Afton are their husbands, David Lagle their ex-lover. Bruce Sherwood is a butler who has been absolutely everywhere and done absolutely everything.

Performance dates at the IT are Tue. to Sat. 7.30 PM. Tickets can be ordered at +43-1-319 62 72.

-- By Bernd Freimueller
Austria Correspondent