‘Angry Housewives’ Still Solid Comedy

Sat., May 20, 1995

Jim Kershner Staff Writer

“Angry Housewives” Tonight, Valley Repertory Theatre

I wasn’t sure if “Angry Housewives” could still make me laugh after all of those years and all of those productions.

It did.

The Valley Repertory Theatre delivers a solid, sometimes-inspired version of this 1980s warhorse by A.M. Collins and Chad Henry.

“Angry Housewives,” for the uninitiated, is no standard musical comedy. It’s about a group of desperate housewives and single moms in Seattle who decide to start a punk band in order to win a $2,000 talent contest. The highlight of the show is their screaming, raving, foulmouthed rant called “Eat Your (bad word) Cornflakes.” It’s what every mother would love to say to a picky eater, if that mother happened to be a member of the Sex Pistols.

When you strip away everything else, “Angry Housewives” is a 90-minute fantasy trip. It must be deeply satisfying for a normally wellbehaved mom to get into an outlandish costume and snarl away those frustrations on stage. The key to a successful “Angry Housewives” is for the women to make us believe that they really are having one hell of a good time up there. This cast, under the skilled direction of Jodine Watson, makes the fun seem infectious.

The standout is Wendy Jordan, who plays Jetta, the mousy, cowed wife of a big-deal executive. Jetta is the one who goes absolutely berserk during “Eat Your (you know) Cornflakes,” prowling around the stage like Courtney Love in a foul mood, opening a box of cornflakes and dumping it over the head of an unsuspecting audience member.

On one hand, Jordan is believable as the timid Georgette-like wife, and on the other hand, she’s believable as a female Sid Vicious.

The kitchen funnels, placed strategically on her punk costume, are an inspired touch.

Gail Kogle also gives a fine performance as the discouraged divorcee Carol. This is her first play, but she makes it look easy up there; she’s a natural.

Abbey Crawford has the best voice of the bunch, and her songs are some of the show’s high points. Jan Moulder has the right air of desperation as the widow with no money and a son who likes to wear safety pins as a fashion statement.

I saw the original “Angry Housewives” in Seattle, and several revivals here in Spokane, and the main thing lacking here is a strong Lewd Fingers, the owner of the punk club. Mark Nickerson plays him with a stylized growl that is hard to understand. It sounds more like a cartoon voice than real human conversation. Nickerson does a good job, however, with his tough-guy body language.

The only other problem with this production is the same problem with every production: The climax comes at the end of the first act, with the cornflakes number. The second act is weak, and the “Man From Glad” song at the end is not nearly as funny. Also, the one-liners are sounding a little stale. Carol trots out the old fat gag about why she doesn’t like to go to the beach (something about a harpoon).

Overall, the Valley Rep has a solid hit on its hands. “Angry Housewives” comes through again. Its run ends tonight.

“Angry Housewives,” last performance tonight, Valley Repertory Theatre, call 927-6878.

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