The Odd Couples (Female and Male versions in repertory) by Neil Simon
Male Version Directed by David Booth
Female Version Directed by G. Scott Morris
Originally conceived by Neil Simon, who based the play on his brother Danny’s true-life experience, who was divorced and was rooming with a divorced friend, to cut expenses and save for alimony. The roommates began to get on each other’s nerves, and Neil told his brother, also a comedy writer, that the premise would make a great play. Danny started to write one, but later gave up and suggested that Neil write it instead. The Odd Couple concept is best described in the one-sentence treatment: “Two men–one divorced and one estranged and neither quite sure why their marriages fell apart–move in together to save money for alimony and suddenly discover they’re having the same conflicts and fights they had in their marriages.”
A remake of Neil Simon’s long-running Broadway comedy, The Odd Couple centers around two divorced woman who live together, but can’t stand each other’s habits. Simon himself updated the script in the mid ’80s to an all female version.
Neil Simon’s famous update of his contemporary classic starts with a group of women friends playing their regular game of Trivial Pursuit. This week, the coterie is meeting at the apartment of Olive Madison, a divorcee who freely admits to being a slob: “I leave a mess when I read a book.” Late to arrive is Florence Unger, a stickler for detail who would try the patience of a saint, and who has unfortunately just become separated from her husband. As life would have it, the slob and the fuss-budget decide to room together — with hilarious results!
Within days, Florence’s obsessive habits start taking their toll on Olive and their friends. The only remedy Olive can think of (a pair of brothers from Barcelona) disastrously backfires, and the two women are forced to agree on one thing — even the best of friends sometimes make the worst of roommates.
Neil Simon’s famous update of his contemporary classic starts with a group of women friends playing their regular game of Trivial Pursuit. This week, the coterie is meeting at the apartment of Olive Madison, a divorcee who freely admits to being a slob: “I leave a mess when I read a book.” Late to arrive is Florence Unger, a stickler for detail who would try the patience of a saint, and who has unfortunately just become separated from her husband. As life would have it, the slob and the fuss-budget decide to room together — with hilarious results!
Within days, Florence’s obsessive habits start taking their toll on Olive and their friends. The only remedy Olive can think of (a pair of brothers from Barcelona) disastrously backfires, and the two women are forced to agree on one thing — even the best of friends sometimes make the worst of roommates.
