REVIEW: BAT Theatre’s ‘Fallen Angels’ an entertaining hour spent outdoors on a summer evening

Residents of Normandy Park propped open lawn chairs and dug into coolers in the generous shade of Marvista Park on Sunday evening (July 21, 2024) for the opening of “Fallen Angels,” an outdoor production by Burien Actors Theatre (BAT).

“Fallen Angels” is a comedy written for the stage in 1925 by English playwright Noël Coward, and adapted by Rachel Rene, with its next performance set for this Friday, July 26, at 7 p.m. at Riverton Heights Park in SeaTac.

Set in 1972 in the Pacific Northwest, this is a family-friendly comedy about longtime friends Julia and Jane, who are both feeling the passion fizzle as their respective marriages hit the 5-year mark. Excited by the news that a Frenchman they both had a passionate acquaintanceship with long ago is currently in town, the women find themselves boozily considering how to behave.

When the women’s husbands return early from a ski trip, all must be revealed. Will the mysterious Frenchman come to call? What will happen if he turns up?

The friendship between Julia (Prisca Kim) and Jane (Kaylie Rainer) forms the nucleus of the story. Both women are feeling stagnate in their marriages to husbands who are more interested in skiing than wooing their wives.

Kim played the prim and toity Julia with buoyant enthusiasm, while Rainer triumphed in her effortless comedic delivery.

Gerald G. Price plays Julia’s husband Fred with a casually dismissive air and tough guy bravado.

Rex Waters plays Willy, Jane’s husband, with a nice guy naivete. Waters’ Willy is suspicious, but easily pushed over under the force of stronger personalities.

The show is tied together with the levity of the housemaid Saunders (Felicia VonDrak Olsen), who interjects her life’s eclectic experiences at hilariously ill-timed moments.

While the challenges of an outdoor show are many, the actors made use of the simple set and limited sound design to bring the story to life.

From its opening “Fallen Angels” looked to be a commentary on the complexity of living passionately and monogamously with one person over many years.

The opportunity to thoughtfully explore these themes, however, was not taken advantage of in the premiere performance I saw. While the characters may not undergo significant growth, some are relatable in their own unique ways, providing a different kind of connection for the audience.

The conclusion of the show invites contemplation about its underlying message. Overall, “Fallen Angels” offers an entertaining hour spent outdoors on a summer evening. Future playwrights have the opportunity to delve deeper into the secrets of the human heart.

BAT will perform 4 more outdoor shows in parks around South King County through August 18th. Find times, locations, and more information about the show below, or on BAT’s website.

Cast & Crew

DIRECTED BY: Rachel Rene

Stage Manager: Emma R. Catanzaro

Cast:

• Julia Sterroll: Prisca Kim
• Fred Sterroll: Gerald G. Price
• Jane Banbury: Kaylie Rainer
• Willy Banbury: Rex Waters
• Saunders: Felicia VonDrak Olsen
• Maurice Duclos: Amit Rosenberg

Remaining Performance Schedule:

• Friday, July 26, at 7 p.m.: SeaTac – Riverton Heights Park – 3011 S. 148th Street, SeaTac 98168
• Sunday, Aug. 4, at 5 p.m.: Boulevard Park, North Burien – Hilltop Park – 2600 S. 128th Street, Burien 98168 – sponsored by BAT’s Board President, Paul Gould
• Sunday, Aug. 11, at 5 p.m.: Town Square, Burien – Town Square Park – 480 SW 152nd Street, Burien 98166
• Sunday, Aug. 18, at 5 p.m.: Des Moines – Des Moines Beach Park in the Meadow – 22030 Cliff Ave S., Des Moines 98198

Photos courtesy Normandy Park Arts Commission.