Matt takes on a double bill of female friendship on Broadway: the champagne-fueled revival of Noël Coward’s Fallen Angels and the long-gestating new musical Beaches. Matt digs into performance highlights, structural issues, and what—if anything—either show has going for it as the Tony Awards race heats up.

Important Links

Timestamps

* 0:00 – Intro + podcast review + episode setup

Fallen Angels

* 2:30 – Overview: premise, Coward context, and adaptation choices

* 7:00 – Plot breakdown: Julia, Jane, and the return of Maurice

* 13:00 – Tone & critique: “pleasant but slight” comedy, lack of stakes

* 18:00 – Performances: Kelli O’Hara & Rose Byrne’s comedic chemistry

* 22:30 – Design & direction: David Rockwell’s set, pacing issues

* 26:00 – Standout moments: drunk scene, physical comedy, audience payoff

* 28:30 – Tony Awards outlook: acting locks, design strength, revival chances

Beaches

* 31:00 – Overview: from novel to musical, long development history

* 34:00 – Plot breakdown: Cece & Bertie’s lifelong friendship

* 38:00 – Score & writing critique: generic lyrics, lack of character specificity

* 42:00 – Structural issues: weak storytelling, unclear character arcs

* 45:00 – Performances: Jessica Vosk (Cece) & Kelli Barrett (Bertie)

* 47:30 – Design & staging problems: scale, visuals, and pacing

* 49:00 – Tony Awards outlook + final verdict on both shows

Listener discussion questions

* Can a “lightweight” comedy like Fallen Angels still feel essential theater, or does it need stronger stakes to justify a Broadway revival?

* What makes a stage musical adaptation succeed where others—like Beaches—struggle to translate emotional impact?

* When performances are strong but the material is weak, how much should that factor into awards recognition?

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Matt Reviews: BEACHES & FALLEN ANGELS