The Poulsbo Beat

The Fourth Wall is a tongue-in-cheek satire of art and American politics during the recent era of the George W. Bush administration, set in the suburban upstate New York home of an upper middle class couple. At its center is the tale of a frazzled suburban woman who rebels against the complacency of her friends, marriage, the government — even her living room furniture.

Disturbed by the state of current politics and sensing that some sort of audience exists beyond the parameters of her living room, suburbanite housewife Peggy rearranges her living room to assemble a stage set, in the hopes of breaking through to the other side. Her furniture now faces one wall — the “fourth wall” — which she has left bare (which is really the audience).

The Jewel Box Theatre presents A.R. Gurney’s satirical comedy, The Fourth Wall, which will run Fridays and Saturdays, Jan. 27 through Feb. 11 at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. The theater is located at 225 Iverson St. in downtown Poulsbo. The show is directed by Island Theatre cofounder, Steve Stolee, directing for the first time at Jewel Box Theatre.

Gurney’s popular plays, including Love Letters, Sylvia, and The Dining Room, are often compared to the work of novelist John Cheever, their situational satire frequently centering around the foibles of the well-bred upper-middle-class and its supposed sophistication — which usually turns out to be anything but sophisticated. Often, there is a backdrop of war and collective suburban American angst. His plays are urbane, laced with literary and current-event references, but well written to suit a general audience. The Fourth Wall, for all its cultured framing, is full of laugh out loud gags and punch lines.

The cast includes Jim Alexander, as Roger; Shawna Fancher, as Julia; Kathy Currie, as Peggy; and Fred Saas, as Floyd.

Tickets are $16 adults, $14 seniors/students/military, and are available online at brownpapertickets.com (Search: Poulsbo); via e-mail at jewelboxtickets@gmail.com; or by phone at (360) 697-3183. An opening weekend special of $9.99 is available for tickets purchased online only for the Jan. 27-29 performances. Season Presenting Sponsor: Liberty Bay Bank. More information at jewelboxpoulsbo.org.