Date: Fri 23-Oct-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

Gateway's-Felix-Oscar-Couple

Full Text:

(rev "The Odd Couple" @Gateway's)

THEATRE REVIEW: An Odd Couple At Gateway's

(with cut)

BY SHANNON HICKS

NEW FAIRFIELD -- Just know ahead of time that when the curtain opens on the

current production of The Odd Couple at Gateway's Candlewood Playhouse, most

of the audience will not only see a disgusting-looking apartment, but will

smell it as well.

One of Neil Simon's greatest comedies, The Odd Couple , was loosely based on

the idea of Simon's brother Danny, who had lived through a similar scenario

(which makes one wonder which character Simon's brother was). The play offers

the story of two men: the newly-divorced and compulsively neat Felix Unger and

the established divorcee and worse-than-a-college-dormroom slob (but well

meaning) Oscar Madison.

The Odd Couple debuted as a Broadway play that enjoyed a 2«-year run and

earned three Tony Awards. Its popularity also led to a long-running television

series, and a Hollywood film and sequel. The play has also become something of

a theatre favorite, being reprised across the country countless times.

It has turned up at Gateway's Candlewood Playhouse in New Fairfield as the

final offering of the 1998 fall season. On a bittersweet note, the play also

marks the end of presentations at the theatre with the backing of the

Gateway's company.

After five years of running the struggling playhouse, Gateway's producers have

decided the playhouse is too costly to continue. With the closing curtain of

The Odd Couple , and then a holiday spectacular with a short run of dates,

Gateway's Candlewood Playhouse will become a thing of the past.

Before that time, however, there remain a few more performances of The Odd

Couple , starring Hardy Rawls and Michael Jaye as Oscar and Felix,

respectively.

The play opens -- and remains -- within an apartment on Riverside Drive in New

York City.

Our first image of the stage set comes moments before the curtain rises, when

the scent of cigars wafts into the theatre, even with the thick curtain and

some strong fans doing their best to keep the drifting smoke to a minimum. The

audience meets Oscar Madison and a few of his friends, who are playing poker

and becoming concerned at the mysterious, unexplained absence of their pal

Felix.

The first introduction to Felix is not until well into the first act, but it

is a blessed entrance. While the man is about to go through the rigors of a

divorce from a woman he still dearly loves, one cannot help but see that

living with Oscar, and taking care of their apartment is going to be good for

ol' Felix. Having someone around to keep him company in this huge apartment is

going to be just as good for the other half of the odd couple.

Simon's play runs along at a brisk pace; the first act runs less than 60

minutes. Simon's timeless writing gets the laughs rolling from the get-go, and

some physical humor keeps the laughs coming.

The work by scenic designer Brodie Alan Steele is brilliant, not only for the

amount of clothing strewn about and the pizza boxes, potato chip bags and

sporting equipment stuffed into every opening and under every piece of

furniture, but even for the background scenery like the night skyline of

Manhattan as seen through the apartment's back window.

Performances continue through October 25. Tickets range from $22 to $28 for

the performance alone, with slightly higher prices for the show and dinner at

the adjoining Playhouse Cafe. For show times and additional information, call

746-4441.