REVIEW: Todd McKenney and Shane Jacobson Are Delightful In Neil Simon's THE ODD COUPLE

Sunday 30th June 2024, 6:30pm, Theatre Royal Sydney

Director Mark Kilmurry delivers a new production of Neil Simon’s THE ODD COUPLE for the main stage 59 years after its Broadway premiere in 1965.  Drawing a strong cast of performers that have had success on both the theatre stage and the television and cinema screens, this production is a definite crowd pleaser.

Set in Oscar Madison’s (Shane Jacobson) well-appointed Upper West Side New York eight room apartment, sports reporter Oscar enjoys the bachelor life of take out meals and TV dinners, weekly poker games with his buddies, and the general ability to live like a slob after his recent divorce.  His detritus covered world is upended one night when the poker group’s sixth member, Felix Ungar (Todd McKenney) fails to turn up on time and the assembled quintet of Speed (Laurence Coy), Murray (Anthony Taufa), Roy (John Batchelor), and Vinnie (Jamie Oxenbould), fear the worst after they learn that Ungar’s wife has thrown him out.  While Oscar is aware of Felix’s ‘quirks’ he gives his fastidious friend a lifeline through the offer of a roof over his head and the opportunity to have company in the family sized apartment again. 

With the story that spans three weeks taking place purely in Oscar’s apartment, Set Designer Justin Nardella has gone all out to present the living area of the apartment and the hallway that leads to the bedrooms, bathroom and front door and a side door to the kitchen.  The living area is dressed with stylish mid-century modern furniture with the sitting area and dining space adorned with decorations and trinkets reflecting Oscar’s life, and even the kitchen and ‘kids bathroom’ that are only briefly seen through opening doors are fully decorated.  Billy Roache’s costume design reflects the 1960’s era and the diversity of the assembled poker players, from the staid black suit and white shirt for accountant Roy to the polyester print shirt for henpecked Vinnie, and Felix’s sartorial suit.  The British sisters Cecily and Gwendolyn Pigeon, presented by Lucy Durack and Penny McNamee, are kept as stereotypes of 60’s giggling airheads with little character depth which is reinforced with Roache’s costuming and Michele Skeete’s wig design for the duo. 

With Neil Simon’s work focusing on the men of the story, Kilmurry has gathered a strong cast.  Laurence Coy reprises his performance of Speedy, having also played the part in Kilmurry’s treatment of the play for Ensemble Theatre.  He infuses an intuitive realism to the gruff and mildly bullying Speedy while ensuring the New York accent remains constant.  Jamie Oxenbould’s henpecked clock-watching Vinnie is endearing as he blithely continues with his comments on when he needs to leave, disregarding all of Speedy’s teasing.  His physicality as the more submissive character is perfectly rendered and the vocal characterization is on point.  As Roy, John Batchelor has opted for a more camp portrayal of Oscar’s accountant as he complains about the heat and the air quality.  Anthony Taufa captures policeman Murray’s controlled deliberate actions while also expressing his ability to over react.  With high pitched voices, persistent giggling and orchestrated movements, Lucy Durack and Penny McNamee ensure that the Pigeon sisters Cecily and Gwendolyn are seen as somewhat one dimensional and that Simon intended them as a vehicle for plot point rather than investing any great detail in their character depth. 

As the focus ‘Odd Couple’, Todd McKenney and Shane Jacobson are perfectly matched.  Both actors have a great comic timing and have adopted unique voices to further cement their character’s personality.  Their physicality captures the essence of Felix and Oscar with special mention going to Todd McKenney’s choreographed cleaning that forms a transition between scenes and his expression of the neurotic hypochondriac’s ailments. 

While the Oscar and Felix’s friendship isnt always smooth sailing, THE ODD COUPLE is an expression of men coming together in support of each other.  While they bicker and tease during the card game, when their friend is in need, they rally together with a caring and compassionate response.  In a society when men’s mental health is often at risk because they are too scared to drop the macho act and show vulnerability, sensitivity, compassion and concern for each other, THE ODD COUPLE shows that talking about something deeper than sport scores and cars or whatever other superficial things men talk about, can make a difference, can change a life, or even save a life.

A wonderful expression of friendship in its different forms, tolerance, growth and learning as well as self-awareness, THE ODD COUPLE is a hilarious evening of easy entertainment.  Regardless of whether you are familiar with the 1968 movie that was based on Simon’s play or the subsequent television series or the 1998 movie sequel, or other stagings of the play, this production is well worth catching.

https://theoddcoupleplay.com.au/

Photos: Pia Johnson

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