Review: FALLEN ANGELS at Menier Chocolate Factory

Stuart King 6 December, 2025, 17:56

Written in 1923 and premiering in London's West End two years later, Noel Coward's FALLEN ANGELS is a relative rarity among his commercially produced plays. Nowadays thankfully, this has nothing to do with the potentially offensive prospect of female characters displaying loose morals, which it was feared could scandalise members of the theatregoing public 100 years ago!

Janie Dee (Julia Steroll) and Alexandra Gilbreath (Jane Banbury) in Fallen Angels at Menier Chocolate Factory - credit Manuel Harlan.

On the same morning, whilst their husbands are away playing golf, two respectably (though not necessarily happily) married English women, receive postcards from the same former French lover announcing his imminent arrival. That the missives awaken their long suppressed yearnings for more passion in their lives, is beyond doubt. But what happens when two long-established best friends spend the day together sharing their innermost pent-up thoughts and then have an almighty falling-out over dinner?

Directed by Christopher Luscombe, Menier Chocolate Factory's production is the first major London revival in 25 years and boasts a beautiful art deco set by Simon Higlett and comparable costumes by Fotini Dimou.

As Julia, Janie Dee strikes the right balance between Coward's usual elevated sophisticate, whilst allowing herself to wallow in the Champagne-fuelled tawdriness of an all-female argument in the second act. Opposite her, Alexandra Gilbreath as Jane presents as a marginally more earthy, even vulgar spectacle once she has downed a cocktail on an empty stomach, followed by half a bottle of bubbly. Rising to the bait of Julia's sanctimonious air, Jane quickly becomes combative and storms off into the night.

In a bid to elevate the overtly stilted nature of Act I's set-up, we are introduced to the mild-mannered and infinitely engaging Sarah Twomey who plays the new maid Jasmine who is required to adopt the standardised house name of Saunders. Not only does she mix a mean cocktail, but Saunders plays piano, speaks fluent French and whilst laying the table for dinner, plays a recording of Tchaikovsky, during which she demonstrates some of the dance moves gained whilst with the Ballet Russe. Of course the moment engenders the loudest round of applause of the evening.

As Act III progresses and returning husbands Fred (Richard Teverson) and Bill (Christopher Hollis) learn of their wives' romantic liaison with a Frenchman prior to marriage, the play enables the usual hypocrisies to be aired in relation to the double standards applied to men and women. When former lover Maurice (Graham Vick) finally appears on the doorstep, some quick thinking is required to appease and explain away the goings-on of the previous 24 hours. Thankfully, this is Coward and appearances and politesse mean everything.

FALLEN ANGELS runs 2 hours including 20 min interval and continues at Menier Chocolate Factory until 21st February 2026.