author: Leonard Taube
It’s odd how things sometimes just tend to work out in the world of theatre. Take Neil Simon’s play The Odd Couple for instance. Following the shenanigans of mismatched roommates Felix Ungar and Oscar Madison, Simon’s comedy not only premiered on Broadway in 1965, but went on spawn a film version in 1968 and a popular television series in the 1970’s. Since then, it’s spawned several revivals, spin-offs and has been produced in countries around the world. It all begins when neat, uptight Felix is thrown out by his wife and shows up on the doorstep of his slovenly easygoing friend, sportswriter Oscar who invites Felix to move in with him. It doesn’t take long, however, for Oscar to realize why Felix’s wife tossed him out on his fanny and what follows is pure comedy in true Simon fashion.
Well, move over Felix and Oscar, and make room for Florence and Olive. In 1985 Simon adapted the play to feature a pair of female roommates and this version is currently in production at Salem Players in residence at the Salem Lutheran Church in Catonsville, Maryland. This production is a hilarious rendition of one of Simon’s classics full of characters that are sure to make you giggle.
Director William Hauserman has cast well. 8 actors, 1 storyline and 2 acts, but my how time flies by. The pacing is tight, and lines are delivered flawlessly, evoking comedy sometimes with just a facial expression, a body gesture or sometimes even a noise as in Florence’s attempts to “clear her sinuses”. Hauserman is no stranger to directing, having spent 22 of his life as a civilian on an Army base in Germany as Director of Entertainment, coordinating and producing both musicals and plays with the help of enlisted personnel, their families and locals, not a feat for the faint of heart! Possessing an MFA degree as well, Hauserman brings his theatre acumen to this production and the well-executed performances are a testament to his artistic prowess. He knows what works and has insinuated some great bits into the show.
The set is classic 1960’s apartment living. Set designer Paul Timmel has taken us back in time, literally, to a bygone era with Olive’s 2-bedroom apartment. The tables, couches and overall atmosphere scream “Hello, the 60’s are calling, they want their rotary dial phone back”. Costumes are period and appropriate thanks to Costumer Sue Gdovin. Loved Olive’s striped, white tube socks in Act 1, one pulled up and the other scrunched down. Tech is a non-issue with Amanda Yerkey on the boards. She handles light and sound with perfect timing. There were no discernable issues with this most important of tasks. Tech is an often-overlooked role, but just as important as the actors whom they light and mic. Kudos for a job well done.
Florence Ungar (played by Joan Crooks) is neurotic incarnate. Uptight and deliciously anal retentive, Crooks is a delight to watch as she clears her sinuses, cooks super special dinners, tidies up the apartment and picks up after Olive. Her self-deprecating mannerisms are cause for laughter from the first time we see her, when her friends are trying hard to pretend that they don’t know that she’s just been thrown out by her husband Sid.
Olive Madison (played by Janise Whelan) is a redheaded easygoing gal who has a good heart and a penchant for keeping her place a tad (ok, a lot) on the messy side. It’s a delight to watch her character go from a friend who opens her home to a fellow pal in need, to a woman at her wits end. Whelan’s final tirade is a flurry of emotional release, but even in such fits of passion one can sense that she truly does care about her friend, even at the expense of her own sanity. Olive’s single life is shattered by the arrival of Florence and, while things do not go as expected (at least from Olive’s perspective), she quickly learns that perhaps things were better off as they were. Whelan and Crooks play off each other very well and this interplay makes for not only good comedy but serves as cause for reflection.
Trivial Pursuit anyone? Remember that ever-popular game which was in its heyday when the female version of the show was first produced? Move over poker (the chosen game in the original all-male version), the gals are in the house now and the name of the game is TP! The four friends which make up the gang, which comes over to the apartment weekly to share camaraderie, friendship and boast their academia, are made up of Mickey (Terri Laurino), Sylvie (Molly K. Laska), Renee (Leslie Johnson) and Vera (Jane Nitsch). From Laurino’s New York wise guy cop to Nitsche’s ditsy antics, these four ladies serve as the social core of the group who, despite their own goings-on in their personal lives, truly care about Florence and her well-being. In fact, all the women in the show share a bond of unbreakable sisterhood and their coming together at these gatherings create some memorable laughter and serve as a reminder of what true friendship is always about. Oh, they bark at each other, regale the others with the latest in their lives, and showcase each of their individual, unique personalities, but in the end, they embody the true meaning of friendship. But whatever you do, just don’t put Renee anywhere near an air purifier. And let’s hope that Sylvie doesn’t wind up…well…go see the show.
Rounding out the cast are the Costazuela brothers, Manolo (played by Tim Toscano) and Jesus…just call him “Hayes” please… (played by Jerry Johnson). Olive’s Spanish upstairs neighbors, whom the gals have a double date within the apartment that doesn’t go exactly as planned, are a ton of fun to watch, with their accents, mistaken pronunciations and grasping of the concept of nicknames. But where these two had this reviewer in stitches is during the date scene where Olive leaves Florence in the room with the men alone while she fixes drinks in the kitchen. Florence’s woeful tale of self-pity has the brothers reflect on their own personal circumstances and Olive comes back into the room to find a whole mess. Not the evening she was expecting. Toscano and Johnson are walking examples of scene stealing hilarity, even if they are only on stage briefly.
So, if you’re feeling a bit odd, and looking for something to do, come spend some time in a lovely 60’s apartment and enmesh yourselves in the escapades of Felix, Olive and the gang. You’ll have a good time for sure, and in the end, you’ll understand why this famous show of Neil Simon’s isn’t really that odd at all, and has remained one of his most popular works, still in production to this day.
Running Time: Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission
The Odd Couple (Female Version) plays through October 27th 2024 with The Salem Players— Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church at 905 Frederick Road in Catonsville, MD. For tickets call (410) 747-0720 or purchase them online.
