One Flea Spare

If one thing could make cabin fever worse, it would be the black plague. (Okay, so maybe that would actually make it a lot worse.) Brought to you by Mildred’s Umbrella Theater Company, Naomi Wallace’s One Flea Spare is set during the Great Plague of 1665 and tells the story of the Snelgraves, a wealthy wife and husband who are about to be released from house arrest/quarantine. But before they can head for the door, two vagrants — a gay sailor (yes, even back then) and an orphan — sneak into the house, extending the sentence to 28 days. As you can guess, there’s much commentary on politics, religion and society as each character explores the others’ life experiences to pass the time and forget the 800-pound, Black Death-infested gorilla in the room. 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, through May 10, with an additional Monday performance on May 5. Midtown Arts Center, 3414 La Branch. For tickets and information, call 832-418-0585 or visit www.mildredsumbrella.com. $6 to $13.
Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Mondays, 8 p.m. Starts: April 24. Continues through May 5, 2008