The King of Comedy

The Odd Couple

BrightSide Theatre continues their 11th season (or is it actually their 10th Season Again! due to the pandemic shutdown?) with an iconic comedy by popular playwright Neil Simon. The prolific scribe, who’s often been called The King of Comedy, is known for such hits as “Come Blow Your Horn,” “Barefoot in the Park,” “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” “Plaza Suite” and, from previous BrightSide seasons, “Promises, Promises,” “The Dinner Party” and “Rumors.” Set in New York City during a hot summer in the early 1960’s, “The Odd Couple” is a hilarious story about friends and the strength and imperfections of longtime friendships. 

Oscar Madison is a slovenly, divorced sports writer, living alone in his dirty Manhattan apartment. Every Friday evening he relishes getting together with five of his best buddies for their weekly poker game. On this particular evening, one of their friends is a  no-show. Felix Unger, a television news writer, is missing. A phone call from Felix’s wife informs Oscar that the two have separated, with divorce possibly in the cards. When Felix finally turns up he’s so visibly distraught that the poker pals try to calm him down and Oscar eventually offers his friend a room for the night. That one night stretches into weeks and suddenly Oscar finds he’s inherited a fussy, eccentric housemate who is trying his patience. It turns out that Felix is the poster boy for annoying peculiarities, including a persnickety passion for cleaning.

The highlight of this production is BrightSide favorite, Jon Cunningham. His performance as Felix Unger is a masterclass in broad comedy. The actor is an expert with perfectly enunciated line delivery, crackerjack comic timing and skillfully performing stage business. Mr. Cunningham, fondly remembered this season from his leading roles in BrightSide’s charming “She Loves Me” and their sparkling concert presentation of “City of Angels,” is without a doubt, the most gifted and versatile performer to grace this Naperville stage. Jon is truly the heart and soul of this production, as Neil Simon undoubtedly envisioned the character. Never an actor to mug, Mr. Cunningham uses his whole being to judiciously and honestly react to Felix’s crushing marital problems and his new living conditions. One of the best scenes in this production comes in the second act when two English ladies from the apartment upstairs are invited for dinner. Oscar is looking at the evening with possible romantic intentions but, as expected, because of Felix the night doesn’t go the way he expects.

Dennis Schnell, seen last summer as Sam in BrightSide Theatre’s stellar production of “Mamma Mia!” is a regular actor with this company. He does an excellent job portraying the boorish Oscar Madison, making the perfect complement to Jon’s fussy Felix Unger. The actor creates a character who’s loud, irritating and obnoxious. At times, however, a little moderation and variety would be welcome in this performance. But Mr. Schnell has made a strong career of portraying boisterous and blundering comic characters at BrightSide Theatre. He was the womanizing Mr. Sheldrake in “Promises, Promises,” the comic Nathan Detroit in “Guys & Dolls” and that unforgettable maneuvering meathead, Freddy, in “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.” Now he can add Oscar Madison to his resume.

Each of the poker players are nicely portrayed as unique individuals. Mike Mitchell is terrific as a professional and concerned Murray, the New York cop; Dylan Baxter is a strong actor to watch in his tough, verbose portrayal of Speed; Victor Polites makes Roy, Oscar’s friend and accountant, a funny character who’s almost as fastidious as Felix; and, as Vinnie, John Zimmerman has fashioned a humorous, devoted older husband and connoisseur of well-made sandwiches and relaxing vacations. 

Neil Simon’s much-welcome feminine characters, the ditzy Pigeon Sisters, are simply hilarious additions to the second act. Last seen in BrightSide Theatre’s “Steel Magnolias,” Gina Phillips, as Gwendolyn Pigeon, is “the Mother hen” of the two ladies, and, although her dialect sometimes wavers, she’s wonderfully prim and proper. Newcomer to BrightSide Theatre, lovely Mary McGough is a tittering, promiscuous, but ever posh Cecily Pigeon. Her giggling and fawning over the two men make her a ray sunshine in this production. Named for the two proper young Victorian ladies from Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” these two actresses bring humorous flirtation, comedy and pathos to Simon’s play.            

 Making his first foray with BrightSide Theatre, this production is nicely directed by guest artist Jason Harrington. He’s done a fine job of guiding his actors, drawing out the best performances from his cast. For the most part, he’s managed the three-quarter staging well, focusing the comedy so that spectators know where to focus their attention. However, at times Mr. Harrington blocks his leading actors to face upstage during an entire scene, so that the audience only views the back of their heads. Curiously in those moments, the only faces we see are the characters listening to Oscar and Felix, making this a frustrating scene to watch. There’s also a chair downstage that’s set at strange angle. When an actor is sitting in it, his position blocks his face. Only the side sections of the audience get a glimpse the actor’s profile. And, because timing in comedy is everything, especially in a Neil Simon play, a couple of the actors need to work on pacing, delivering their lines faster and more furious, and not pausing or stumbling over names and words.   

 It’s safe to say that the majority of the audience has probably, at least, heard of this play. The comedy has been a staple at most professional, community and educational theatre company in America, and playgoers will know the gist of the story. If theatergoers haven’t seen “The Odd Couple” on stage, they probably enjoyed the 1968 Jack Lemmon/Walter Matheau film, the 1970 Tony Randall/Jack Klugman television series, or even the various spinoffs, reinvented interpretations (there was a Black version, a Female adaptation and even an animated cartoon, called “The Oddball Couple”) and an updated TV series just a a few years ago that starred Thomas Lennon and “Friends” actor, Matthew Perry. 

In one form or another this comedy has been a part of the theatre and entertainment industry for decades. The title is now even part of the American vernacular. With a beautiful scenic design by Eric Luchen, Jeff Cass’ detailed soundtrack of music and noise and Shana Hall’s well-thought out, period-perfect costumes, BrightSide Theatre is offering a finely-acted, uproariously funny production of this Neil Simon classic. Hopefully we’ll enjoy many more comedies from this gifted American playwright in seasons to come. Simon is a National Treasure and the enjoyment to be found in his comedies are universal.     

Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented February 17-March 5 by BrightSide Theatre, performed at Meiley-Swallow Hall at North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth, Naperville, IL.

Tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling 630-447-8497 or by going to www.brightsidetheatre.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.