Can a man who serves his poker buddies a choice of green or brown sandwiches with warm Coke find happiness with a man who trims the crust from his lightly toasted b.l.t. creations, accompanied by a cold beer? The answer is a Duncan Hines Unseal of Approval, but Oscar Madison and Felix Unger, both divorced friends, give it an Olympic try.
Oscar Madison is sloppy and scattered and wallows in a pigpen of an apartment, all eight rooms of it. Felix Unger is fastidious and organized and a fussy compulsive neatnik. What brings both men together under one roof is the genius of Neil Simon and his classic comedy “The Odd Couple.”
Delight in watching the Legacy Theatre of Branford bring this pigpen of humor to the stage, now extended until Sunday, October 11. Turn the clocks back to 1966 and sit down at the poker game where Felix Unger, immaculately portrayed, with buttoned down perfection, by Erik Bloomquist lands on the doorstep of his good friend Oscar Madison, comfortably and casually expressed in a teddy bear persona by Ben Pitts. When Felis announces his wife Frances has asked him to leave home permanently, Oscar proposes he move in to prevent Felix’s suicide threats from becoming real. Both men are clearly having fun with their on stage bantering and so does the audience.
What seems on the surface to be ideal, with Felix sharing 50% of the costs and 100% of the housekeeping duties, so Oscar can finally catch up on his child support payments, soon turns into an ugly war of Pledge and Lysol. All the “improvements” which Felix has wrought turn into “annoyances” for Oscar to find fault with and complain about and become reasons enough to drive each other crazy. When Oscar calls Felix’s ladle a spoon, it’s a cause for a duel at high noon.
The weekly poker game with Speed (Stephen Depasque), Murray (Neil Fuentes), Roy (Max Evans) and Vinnie (Dominic Paolillo) soon bites the dust, if there were any dust. The Pigeon sisters are adorably supportive in the hands of Penny Amara and Desi Amato and give the bachelors new material to argue about with delightful consequences and crying towels. Jamie Burnett’s apartment set is a great location for the domestic quarrels. Eric Santagata directs this fussing, fighting and feuding feast of fun.
For tickets ($41.50-66.50), call the Legacy Theatre, 128 Thimble Island, Branford at 203 -315-1901 or online at LegacyTheatreCT.org. Performances are Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Check in with Oscar and Felix before Felix has a nervous breakdown or Oscar kills him as they drive each other crazy in the name of brotherhood, bachelorhood and friendship.
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