A review by _abii__
The Odd Couple by Neil Simon

dark funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

"OSCAR. How can I afford a wife when I can't afford a broom? 

ROY. Then don't play poker. 

OSCAR. (Puts down drink, rushes to ROY and they struggle over the bag of potato chips, which rips showering everyone, who ALL begin to yell at one another) Then don't come to my house and eat my potato chips! 

MURRAY. What are you yelling about? We're playing a friendly game. 

SPEED. Who's playing? We've been sitting here talking since eight o'clock. 

VINNIE. Since seven. That's why I said I was going to quit at twelve. 

SPEED. How'd you like a stale banana right in the mouth? 

MURRAY. (The Peacemaker) All right, all right, lets calm down… Take it easy… I’m a cop, you know. I could arrest the whole lousy game.

The Odd Couple is a classic play which follows a group of friends: Oscar, Murray, Vinnie, Speed, Roy and Felix. It mostly follows their very chaotic poker nights and what they entail. The games happen in Oscar's house, a man who divorced eight months ago and his life has been a mess since. 

The play's plot starts when we are given the news that Felix is also divorcing his wife so he moves in with Oscar. 

"OSCAR. (With a pointing finger) I'm warning you. 
You want to live here. I don't want to see you, I don't want to hear you and I don't want to smell your cooking. Now get this spaghetti off my poker table. 

FELIX. Ha! Haha! 

OSCAR. What the hell's so funny? 

FELIX. It's not spaghetti. It's linguini! 

(OSCAR picks up the plate of linguini, crosses to the doorway, and hurls it into the kitchen)." 

(...) 

"OSCAR. (Off) Leave it alone!.. You touch one strand of that linguini... and I'm gonna punch you right in your sinuses. 

FELIX. (Dashes out of kitchen with OSCAR in pursuit. 
Stops and tries to calm OSCAR down) Oscar... I'd like you to take a couple of phenobarbital."

This is without a doubt the funniest play i've ever read. The jokes are timeless even if filled with dark humor. It plays with themes such as suicide, infidelity and low self esteem. 

Seeing these two guys trying to live together is to put simply: a chaotic mess. 

A timeless classic for sure.