The Odd Couple
(Female Version)
Written by Neil Simon
Directed by Robert Bills
Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln (map)
thru Nov 10 | tickets: $20-$28 | more info
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Stale retread finds nothing new to say
Robert Bills Productions presents
The Odd Couple (Female Version)
Review by Clint May
At show’s end, it was difficult to tell what the intent of The Odd Couple (Female Version) was. Is this intended as just a breezy, lighthearted recasting of the original male Odd Couple, designed to milk the last vestiges of the franchise, which had—prior to 1985—been exploited as a play, movie and somewhat successful TV show? Or was there something smarter in Simon’s gender bending, which changes nothing of the original plot but the fine details. Is this a sneaky satire of gender roles meant to provoke thought? “Unsavory” was the word that came to mind as I watched curmudgeonly Oscar-cum-Olive be openly hostile to the obsequious Felix-cum-Florence, which is why I even thought that maybe this wasn’t supposed to be funny at all. Opening night crowds are an unreliable judge of a production’s hilarity, but sometimes it seemed I was the only one **not** laughing at the strained, anachronistic comedy on display. Never even cracked a grin. Two hours and twenty minutes of a single-note joke, and I started to think that Simon’s joke is really on us.*
Neat freak that she is, Flo soon turns the cluttered Olive’s life upside-down. Arranging the nuts in the bowls, constantly cleaning and picking up after her roommate, etc. In an attempt to get them both out of a rut and alleviate her rampant horniness, Olive arranges for the Spanish neighbors Jesus and Manolo to come by for an exceedingly awkward dinner date. When it all goes predictably to hell, the fallout ensures the end of their living arrangement (but hopefully not the end of their friendship).
Comedic sensibilities have evolved considerably in the last 28 years following the original debut of this production (which itself was 20 years after the original play). These are not really characters, they are caricatures, which is fine for a skit but well nigh unbearable for over two hours. The ensemble fails to breathe any humanity into their parts, seeming mostly to crib from stereotypes, though how they could have done otherwise with these lines is beyond me (e.g., a rather strange gag about Flo’s befuddlement at Jesus’ name). The very talented Carlson is a blend of Gladis Kravitz and Edith Bunker, while Styles is a single harsh note of aggressive unpleasantness. Maybe that’s sexist of me to think so—hence the possibility that maybe all this might be a satire and not a farce. What if it’s all an illustration of how we don’t blink at such behavior in men, but it’s unsettling in women?
One of the harshest words to level at a production is “unnecessary.” While some sources point to Simon bowing to a constant request for a distaff production, he found nothing new to say with this revision. There’s no sense of anything that sets these women apart to contrast them from their male counterparts—in fact, they all seem to generally dislike each other, and with good reason. None of them are likable. Any sense that Flo or Olive are deeply changed by their experience flounders, leaving one to wonder, again, why we just endured the preceding two hours. Director Robert Bills hasn’t found the depth, if there is any to be had, in this production that makes the commitment of time and money feel worth it. Not that all comedy must have an agenda beyond getting laughs, but this just isn’t the kind of classic comedy that Bedroom Farce was earlier this year.
Long before I was a critic, I witnessed a fantastic production of Steel Magnolias during Pride Week, performed all by men wearing only a modicum of drag. It was just as heartbreaking as an all female cast, and the change in genders felt not like a gimmick, but profoundly **necessary**. A way of exploring the human condition through a change that would seem disruptive but eventually became invisible. No such necessity is visible here, and worse, it’s just stale and unfunny. This Odd Couple is a couple of hours I wish I could get back.
Rating: ★
*That’s not to say the debut wasn’t a success with other audiences—it ran for 295 performances on Broadway.
The Odd Couple (female version) continues through November 10th at Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays 2:30pm. Tickets are $20-$28, and are available by phone (773-404-7336) or online through Tix.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at GreenhouseTheater.org. (Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes, includes an intermission)
Photos by Robert Bills Group | Videos courtesy of Stage Channel
artists
cast
Elaine Carlson (Florence), Missy Styles (Olive), Meghan Powe (Vera), Kristen Williams (Mickey the Cop), Debra Rodkin (Sylvie), Darcie Bender (Renee), Cesar Jaime (Jesus), Dagoberto Soto (Manolo)
behind the scenes
Robert Bills (director), Delena Bradley (costume design), Daniel Haymes (scenic design), Mike Hennessy (properties design), Cat Wilson (lighting design)
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