1963's Barefoot in the Park was Neil Simon's second bona fide hit. This was the play where he moved away from his TV comedy sketch-writing ways and began his trademark concentration on fleshed-out characters and situations. The initial Broadway production was the launching-point for two future superstars, director Mike Nichols, and Robert Redford. And, as wonderfully cute and endearing as the script is, it is one of a handful of Mr. Simon's scripts, including Last of the Red Hot Lovers, that is almost impossibly dated and irrevocably stuck in its time. The innocence of the newlywed wife character, Corie, sounds almost foreign over 35 years later.
Despite the challenge, freshman director Jeanette Raia has decided to move this play to modern times, peppering the script with references to Jerry Springer and Starbucks. Unfortunately, she did not amend other, more subtle gaffes, such as the change of the name of the Henry Hudson Parkway to the West Side Highway in 1976, and the obscure reference to the "shank" of the evening, a phrase that probably has not been uttered since Nixon's first term. The play retains even more of its timelessness with costume designer Sharon Gonwa's choice of putting the actress playing Corie, the irrepressibly cute Sonja Starkey, in a pair of Capri pants and a top in the style of the original date of the play. Even with better homework, the result is a production that would have been just fine set in 1963, but is instead occasionally jarring and nebulous. Also, the actors seem to wander the stage a bit more than they should, as though Ms. Raia is uncomfortable letting the actors stay in one place for too long.
Despite this, the show still is as cute and cuddly as ever. Simon's pinpoint accuracy with a clever quip is as evident as always, and well-handled by the cast. Rich Skidmore is a cooler version of stuffy as attorney-in-training Paul. He is completely at ease, and only seems to push when playing drunk. Ms. Starkey is adorable and energetic as his free-spirited newlywed wife, although her slight accent is jarring for a girl supposedly from the suburbs of New Jersey. Beveryn Lemons-Swaim is very funny as Corie's mother, even as she rushes a bit through some of her funnier sections. Charles Conrad Post is sufficiently debonair as upstairs scoundrel Victor Velasco. John Linscott does a funny job in his cameo as telephone repairman Harry.
Brandon Marcello's unit set addresses the textual requirements of Simon's meticulous memory (the set for the original production was a replica of his and his wife Joan's first apartment on the East Side of Manhattan), and Bob Nelson's lighting does it justice. Ms. Gonwa's other costumes are workable, while Paul Raia's sound design is very good and well executed.
Dated is good, if sometimes a bit frightening. With the power of Neil Simon's well-crafted words as a starting point, this production still sends everyone home laughing and smiling.
Production Details:
Barefoot in the Park by Neil
Simon
Tempe Little Theatre
The Tempe Performing Arts Center, Tempe
(480) 350-8388
September 8th - 23rd, 2000