Theatre Palisades Performs Neil Simon Classic “The Odd Couple”

Nicole Surratt

Theatre Palisades is producing Neil Simon’s classic comedy “The Odd Couple,” in which poker night at Oscar Madison’s place is disrupted when Felix Ungar, having just separated from his wife, arrives late and suicidal. Oscar suggests that Felix move in with him, and contentedly messy Oscar, hilariously clashes with neat freak Felix. Oscar gambles too much and his house is so messy that he serves his guest’s spoiled food, but he generally enjoys himself. Felix, however, feels the need to point out mistakes and to correct people, and does not seem to enjoy anything. This production is directed by Jonathan Fahn and produced by Nona Hale and Sherry Coons.

Neil Simon‘s “Odd Couple” has remained popular since its 1965 Broadway premiere. The inspiration came from the playwright’s brother Danny, who was rooming with a friend to save money. After they started annoying each other, Simon told Danny it would make a good play, which Danny began writing immediately. However after some time, Danny surrendered to writing the proposed play and told Neil he should write it instead. The original production won Best Direction, Best Author, Best Actor (for Walter Matthau, who played Oscar), and was nominated for Best Play at the Tony Awards.

The beloved comedy has a long history and many versions. It was revived on Broadway in 1985 with female protagonists and in 2005 with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. Simon wrote the 1968 film version, as well as the 1998 film sequel, “The Odd Couple II,” featuring the same lead actors. He also did a 2002 rewrite called “Oscar and Felix: a New Look at the Odd Couple,” which ran at Geffen Playhouse. ABC ran a television version in the 1970s, a cartoon called “The Oddball Couple” with a dog and a cat in 1975 and a series in 1982 with African-American actors. Most recently, CBS picked up a sitcom version starring Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon, which premiered in 2015 and whose third season will be airing in the fall of 2016.

“The Odd Couple” performs at Pierson Playhouse Sept. 2 through Oct. 9 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets can be found here.