When you go to see a comedic play authored by Neil Simon, you pretty much know what you're going to get. He's been showered with more Academy and Tony nominations than any other writer, and for good reason. Simon is terrific at creating characters who live and breathe, because--like us--they are flawed. Not only are they flawed, but they are lovable because of, not in spite of, their flaws.
Nowhere is his propensity for creating characters with broadly-drawn foibles more obvious than in The Odd Couple, playing at the New Theatre Restaurant through June 19. And the audience already knows the story (and probably most of the one-liners) about two guys--an obsessive-compulsive neat freak and a laid-back slob--rooming together in the wake of the neatnik's separation from his wife. "The Odd Couple"---based on the real-life story of Simon's brother moving in with another man after his divorce--was a smash hit on Broadway, a successful 1968 film starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, and a popular television series starring Jack Klugman and Tony Randall.
But the real joy in watching this version of "The Odd Couple" is the adeptness of the cast, especially George Wendt (from Cheers) as Oscar and Tim Kazurinsky (from Saturday Night Live) as Felix, at taking those typical screwball "Neil Simon" characters and making them their own. Sure, this Oscar and Felix are the same lovable losers we watched in the movie and on television, but there is the added dimension of Wendt's and Kazurinsky's mannerisms, inflections and movements infusing the show with new energy and just the slightest hint of unpredictability.
Kudos to Director David D. Hennessy for tailoring the direction of the script to the strengths of this particular cast. And cheers also to a terrific roster of supporting actors--Jim Korinke, Herman Johansen, Dean Vivian and Stuart Rider as the poker-playing buddies, and Jan Chapman and Jennifer Mays as Gwendolyn and Cecily, British sisters who live upstairs and make it clear that they're "available" to our comedic duo.
As always, Executive Chef Mark Webster's creations on the buffet line earn their own standing ovations. Webster's lineup is always so delicious that I could sing rhapsodies about the salad dressings--creamy buttermilk and poppyseed vinaigrette--alone. All the breads are fresh-baked on the premises, and each dish is overseen with great care by a chef who just received the 2011 American Culinary Federation's Central Region Chef Professionalism Award, to add to his many other honors.
Roast pork breast, farm-raised catfish fillets, marinated grilled chicken tenderloins, and roasted beef shoulder tenderloins--all served with spectacularly savory sauces--are the entrees that will make you want to go back to the serving line for more. The accompaniments--roasted vegetable medley, steamed fresh broccoli, fresh spring asparagus, pasta florentine, roasted garlic mashers and polenta---do not disappoint, either. I've said it before, and I will say it again. The quality of food at New Theatre Restaurant rivals that of any of the other gourmet restaurants in the Kansas City area.
And, with all that deliciousness, you get fantastic entertainment, too! The New Theatre Restaurant is quite a bargain.
"The Odd Couple" runs through June 19 at the New Theatre Restaurant. Call 913-649-7469 or go to www.newtheatre.com.
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