Fallen Angels at the Walnut Street Theater
This weekend, Leanne and I journeyed down to Philadelphia to see Fallen Angels at the Walnut Street Theater. This comedy written by Noel Coward was just the recipe we needed to escape from the hectic pace of life for a couple of hours. The set, which brought you into the living area of a plush English flat, was incredible as is always the case at the Walnut. The play was just the right length – about two hours including two intermissions. And the cast did a remarkable job as always in entertaining the audience.
Fallen Angels is the story of two women who share friendship and a long lost lover. While their husbands are out golfing together, they together find out that their lover from the past is coming to town for a visit. As they anticipate his arrival, they share conversation about their own so-so marriages, about their past romantic rendezvous with Maurice, and about what it will be like to see him again. Meanwhile, while waiting for his arrival, they get hammered, and they eventually end the evening at odds.
I won’t give away the ending, but I thought I’d share a few of my thoughts. In a way, the play is a sad commentary on most marriage relationships today. Multiple times throughout the show, there is a discussion about “loving each other” versus “being in love with each other.” The couples in the play love each other (at least that’s what they said), but they admit to not being in love with each other. In other words, they respect and admire each other, but they aren’t passionately, romantically head over heels for each other.
Being married for almost fourteen years, I guess I can somewhat understand this, but it makes me sad that so many couples are content to stay at the respect/admire place and they won’t put the work into keeping things passionate and romantic in their marriage. I know from experience that there are ups and downs along the way, but I am so thankful for a partner who wants to work together to have the best marriage possible. Getting out for a show at the Walnut is one of the ways we keep things on track.
I’m looking forward to more adventures with the love of my life.
Thanks, Leanne, for a great night out!
(Looking forward to seeing Fiddler on the Roof next!)