Review written by Alicia Hinojosa

Synopsis: Set in the divorced Oscar Madison’s disheveled New York apartment, The Odd Couple follows a pair of best friends with polar opposite personalities. The show begins with a weekly poker game between six friends, interrupted with concern for the missing sixth, Felix Unger. Known for his punctuality and perfectionism, Felix’s misplacement affects all the friends, apart from Oscar. Upon speaking to Felix’s wife - or now - soon-to-be ex-wife, Oscar’s regard is finally raised as he expresses worry over the potential self harm of his friend. On that note, the curtain speech is delivered by James Posey, presenting a warning to the audience about the show’s sensitive mental health topics, while also giving resources to reach out for help. Although this show touches on difficult topics, it maintains a light tone throughout, featuring a pair of friends who continually butt heads while living under the same roof. Set in the 1980’s instead of the original setting of the 1950’s, this production maintains its sense of nostalgia for longtime fans of the tv series and the movie.

Set: The Odd Couple is set entirely within the living space of Oscar’s disheveled apartment. Following the vein of the majority of plays I have seen, this show stays within this space, providing a bit of simplicity to set build. Framed by textured beige walls and decorated with sports memorabilia, this apartment screams “Drab New York City apartment”. A massive poker table is the focal point of both the set and the friend group. In Act 2, I was impressed that the poker table was transformed into a dining table with the removal of the green felt top. I found this simple design ingenious, making use of a singular table as opposed to swapping tables between scenes.

The stage was raised, allowing for better sightlines throughout the audience. With four doors on stage, the set truly felt like the living space of an apartment, although it was not sold as an eight bedroom apartment with one door housing Oscar’s bedroom instead of a hallway to his bedroom. The swinging door allowed the space behind it to really feel like a kitchen, and provides ease of movement in and out of the space.

The production team made a fantastic use of props, facing the feat of setting the scene for a messy apartment that has to be quickly cleaned under a blackout after the first scene. There were some cans covered with black tape that were meant to be beer or soda cans, which pulled my attention quite a bit. Every other prop works perfectly, including a possible old radio that depicts Felix’s “Puritron”.

Production:

-Director Bob McGill showcases the Odd Couple as his first solo directing gig. Bravo! The juxtaposition of the main characters shone through, truly showing the audience the derivation of the play’s name. Every scene was impactful, clearly portraying the struggles of these two characters living under the same roof. The casting was perfect, with each actor displaying their individual personalities. The costuming of the sisters screamed 1980’s party girl, with each woman wearing bright colors and kick-ass boots. However, the costuming of the male characters in no way read 1980’s, and could have had a little more thought to help set the scene. Many of the scenes read like a sitcom, making clear the decision for this play to be turned into a television series in 1970. Bob did a phenomenal job guiding his team to provide our community with another strong and spirited production. A true family affair, Bob is joined by his daughter Isis as a stage hand, and wife Willow and son Xander in their acting debuts!

-Patrick Parks (Oscar Madison): A familiar face to the West End Theatre’s stage, Patrick has once again shown off his acting prowess with full force. He portrayed the casual attitude of the 43 year old divorcee perfectly. There were several instances where Patrick “spoke” to people on the phone, fully convincing me that he was having a conversation with someone on the other line. His facial expressions executed his emotions time and time again, and he even managed to perfectly project his voice over his muttering poker buddies, keeping the focus upon his call. Although Oscar is an alcohol swilling, macho stereotype, Patrick makes sure to display the character with sincerity and an endearing nature. Patrick continues to fully depict each character he plays on stage, showcasing the slovenly Oscar as the perfect opposite to the uptight clean freak Felix.

-David Reilly (Felix Ungar): Another regular to the West End Theatre stage, David fully embodied the SAD BOI that is the newly separated Felix Unger. The audience receives the rare opportunity to create this character in their mind with his friends' descriptions; then David enters Oscar’s front door to fully fulfill all expectations. His moseying around the space, fishing for a friend to notice his subtle (or not so subtle) grief is portrayed flawlessly. David is alive with distress. His character’s “woe is me” attitude is present from start to finish, and David keeps it in check and not too uncomfortable for the audience. David displays the arc of the character’s emotions, ranging from someone who attempts to end his suffering, to a man who flits about the apartment merrily cleaning up his friend’s messes. I must admit, I do relate to Felix as the overly tidy partner who mutters about “footprints on the floor” (yes, I have quietly complained about messes hoping that my boyfriend would hear me). Once again David has shown us his vast range as an actor, and I fully enjoy his depiction of “THAT’S ME!!!” on stage.

-Murray (Xander McGill): A regular to the West End Theatre behind the scenes, The Odd Couple is Xander’s first production on stage. Welcome to the limelight, Xander, we are thrilled to have you! He portrays the atypical policeman Murray, who shows immediate worry for his missing friend Felix. Xander speeds through some of his lines, but I am sure that is something he will learn to work through as he continues his time on stage. He embodies the good natured and often worried cop, maintaining the characterization of Murray through the entirety of the show.

-Roy (Will Felker): dramaworks and the West End Theatre are beyond grateful that Will is a part of this organization. Will has been acting in Magic Beanstalk Player and community productions for years, but this is his first role as a 50-something year old man. In no way does Will resemble a middle aged man (not even his cheap grey wig can convince us; but is there a grey wig in existence that does not look cheap?) but he stacks up with his full-grown adult costars and portrays Roy phenomenally. He depicts a sassy, critical character, starting off the show with the perfectly cheeky request for Oscar to “smoke towards New Jersey”. In one scene I noticed Will swaying back and forth displaying some nerves, and a line was delivered facing upstage. But overall, this teenager held his own amongst actors two and three times his age. Be sure to come see Will show off not only his acting, but his singing and dancing prowess in our upcoming production of Young Frankenstein!

-Speed (Dave Kitchens): In Dave’s return to the stage, he portrays Speed, a sarcastic and crusty member of the poker group. This character was fully embodied, from the cigar smoking and gold chains around his neck, to the thick New York accent. This was my first time having the pleasure of seeing Dave perform, and I hope he continues to grace the stage in upcoming productions. Dave delivers all his lines fluidly, delivering his jokes and sarcasm with perfect diction. His lines are delivered with fantastic inflection, and for the length of the play I belived that this sweet, ice cream slingin’ Quincy local was a gruff poker player who enjoys the company of a “goirl on the side”.

-Vinnie (Logan Haesche): Another regular player at the West End Theatre; Logan depicts Vinnie, the henpecked and mild mannered poker buddy. Logan’s facial expressions always reflect his lines, as well as those delivered by his cast mates. He remains present in every scene that wesee him, especially when he becomes panicked at the diminished mental state of his buddy Felix. Logan delivers all of his lines with perfect diction and without hesitation, once again showcasing his skills as an actor.

-Gwendolyn Pigeon (Willow McGill) and Cecily Pigeon (Noahla’i Aarmitage) : The Odd Couple is the stage debut for this lovely pair of ladies!! Although my goal was to write separate reviews on these women, they did so well playing sisters that I have so much to say on them as a pair. First off, it was a breath of fresh air to see a pair of stunning women on stage after a full scene of bickering men exclaiming the woes of their lives. Will and Noala’i wonderfully depicted the Pigeon sisters; from their English accents to their silly, bubbly personalities, I became convinced that these two have been together for ages. They had impeccable chemistry, and they both displayed solemn emotions upon learning all about Felix’s separation. At one point in the date scene, Noala’i messes with the couch pillows while Oscar and Felix have a discussion, which completely distracted me from the men’s dialogue. A small critique for a brand new actor to the stage. Willow and Noala’i provide a fantastic injection of energy and playfulness to the show, and it appeared that they both fully enjoyed themselves.

Final Review: The Odd Couple has proven to be the perfect kick off to the tenth season of shows at the West End Theatre. Providing a wonderful blend of comedy and heart, Bob MicGill’s production of this beloved play will keep you on the edge of your seat, entirely concerned for the fate of the polarized duo. The actors, stage hands, and production team did a marvelous job, and this show will provide audiences with a wonderful night out, wondering which of The Odd Couple you relate to most.