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The Odd Couple

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  2w, 6m

Neil Simon

"His skill is not only great but constantly growing...There is scarcely a moment that is not hilarious." - The New York Times

The Odd Couple

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2w, 6m
  • Suggested Use
    • Scene Work
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for All Audiences
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! 1965 Tony Award, Best Author of a Play
    Nominee! 1965 Tony Award, Best Play
Also Available
The Odd Couple, Female Version

Details

Summary
This classic comedy opens on a friendly card game in the untidy apartment of divorced Oscar Madison. And if the mess is any indication, it’s no wonder that his wife left him. Late to arrive is Felix Ungar, who has just been separated from his wife. Fastidious, depressed, and none too tense, Felix seems suicidal, but as the action unfolds, Oscar becomes the one with murder on his mind when the clean freak and the slob ultimately decide to room together. The action unfolds with hilarious results as The Odd Couple is born.
History
The Odd Couple was first presented on Broadway by Saint Subber at the Plymouth Theatre in New York City on March 10, 1965. It was directed by Mike Nichols.
Keywords
Performing Groups
OSCAR MADISON
FELIX UNGAR
GWENDOLYN PIGEON
CECILY PIGEON
SPEED
MURRAY
ROY
VINNIE
  • Time Period 1960s
  • Setting An apartment on Riverside Drive in New York City
  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes, Period Costumes

Media

"[Simon's] skill is not only great but constantly growing...There is scarcely a moment that is not hilarious." - The New York Times

"Fresh, richly hilarious and remarkably original. Wildly, irresistibly, incredibly and continuously funny." - New York Daily News

ON BREAKING CHARACTER

The Enduring Relevancy of Neil Simon
by Susan Myer Silton
July 3, 2019

Music

  • Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)
  • Vocal DemandsN/A (Not a musical)

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £70 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

    Please submit a license request to determine availability.

Scripts

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Authors

Neil Simon

Neil Simon

American playwright and screenwriter Neil Simon (1927-2018) is widely regarded as one of the most successful, prolific and performed playwrights in theatre history. In addition to Lost In Yonkers, which won a Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize, his plays and musicals include Come ...

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