Last week I got an email from a friend and loyal reader urging me to see "Boeing Boeing," a comedy that opened Jan. 23 at the Delaware Theatre Company in Wilmington. I know she has a good sense of humor, so I took her advice and went to the Sunday matinee.
"Boeing Boeing" is a very funny, very silly classic farce that's set in Paris in the Swingin' Sixties. The American businessman Bernard manages to juggle three girlfriends, all stewardesses, by keeping meticulous track of their flight schedules. Given the vagaries of air travel, of course, the equilibrium doesn't last long, and inevitably the three women end up in his apartment at the same time. With the help of his visiting friend Robert and his temperamental housekeeper Berthe, romantic disaster is averted and -- unbelievably -- there's even a happy and symmetrical ending.
The energetic actors give the requisite over-the-top performances throughout this two-act whirlwind, taking quite a lot of pratfalls (the sofa in particular takes a beating). The physical comedy is hilarious -- one of the girlfriends, the German Valkyrie Gretchen, tosses everyone around. And I loved the Sixties costumes and decor.
The show runs through February 10. Thank you, Susan J., for the tip!
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