The Odd Couple (female version)

[Madame X]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 4:35pm

While browsing the shelves, I was surprised to run across the play The Odd Couple (female version), by Simon also. I had no idea such a thing even existed. From what I can tell, it's never had a Broadway run, however that's about all I can tell from ibdb and google. Can anyone fill me on why Neil Simon wrote it or what kind of productions and success it has (or has not) had? Is it even worth a read? Thanks in advance.

[Lucifer]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 4:37pm

my friend actually performed it her high school - it's very funny but obviously rather similar to the male version.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 4:37pm

Sure, read it. I've heard of it but I've never known it to be produced anywhere. I'm sure it has though.

[gymman]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 4:39pm

Produced on Broadway with Rita Moreno & Sally Struthers
Toured with Sandy Dennis & Kaye Ballard

Saw them both...

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 4:39pm

It played on Broadway for 8 months back in 1985 starring Sally Struthers as Florence Unger and Rita Moreno as Olive Madison. I didn't see it, but from what I understand, it's more or less exactly the same as the original play only with the genders switched.
http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=4375

[Aigoo]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 4:42pm

I performed this as Florence. It was fun. I didn't realize there was a male version of the Odd Couple until a couple weeks ago.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 4:46pm

A) I am scared that you were in the show and were not aware of the original one!

B)Broadway with Rita Moreno & Sally Struthers
Toured with Sandy Dennis & Kaye Ballard!!! I would have loved to have seen that!!!

[gymman]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 4:54pm

Sandy Dennis and Kaye Ballard were too weird
So mismatched in style...I was worried Kaye was going to eat Sandy alive! And Dennis was more mannered than ever at this point...Ballard looked like a tackle!

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 4:55pm

Hahahahaha!!! That is too funny! Thanks for that!

[gymman]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 4:57pm

Really--it was like a trainwreck or an accident that you could not look away from!

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 5:05pm

I just read that article about Sally playing Dolly Levi in 'Hello Dolly'! That scares me! How much do ya wanna bet she insists that they use real dumplings or potatoes, whatever it's supposed to be. :)

[gymman]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 5:08pm

Well, yeah, but hey---she's working. And it seems that anyone who ever had a TV show can draw ticket buyers...
I wonder if she has to--or did she make $$$$$$ from "All in the Family"?

[Madame X]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 5:11pm

Is much of the dialogue identical in the male and female versions? Is there "one big difference" (mind out of gutters please) between the 2 beside the fact that one is guys and one is gals?

Thanks for the info. I guess I have to learn to use ibdb better!

[gymman]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 5:15pm

Good questions...
Actually, it didn't really work for me, because Simon did minimal rewriting, and Oscar and Felix don't easily become women. And the date scenes are pretty rough...not believable at all, even for comedy.

BTW--Simon has never acknowledged the homoerotic subtext of the original; I wonder how this will play out in the revival?
Updated On: 6/17/05 at 05:15 PM

[Madame X]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 5:23pm

That's exactly it...I couldn't picture some of the dialogue of Oscar/Felix coming out of a woman's mouth and that's what I was picturing from some of the responses on this thread. Interesting...maybe not worth a buy, but I'll check it out at the library. Thanks.

[jaded_october]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 5:28pm

i was in it. the dialogue is almost EXACTLY the same as the male version. i like it though.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 5:30pm

To respond to your statement, Wonderboy, I'm still relatively new to theatre and not nearly as knowledgable as most people on these boards. When I was in the production, as far as I knew, the Odd Couple that I was in was written by Neil Simon. And that was it. When I heard about the original Odd Couple being revived, I was incredibly confused when two males were playing the parts and I thought that it might've been a sort of drag queen thing. But it wasn't that type of play, so I'm just here, sitting at my laptop, utterly confused. But eventually, it became straightened out.

[Madame X]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 5:33pm

And I guess Simon wrote/converted it just to be an equal opportunity playwright?

Updated On: 6/17/05 at 05:33 PM

[gymman]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 5:38pm

LOL--he wanted to figure out a way to make more $$$ from it...

[Madame X]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 5:39pm

LOL - or that! (is that the real answer? does make sense though)

[gymman]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 5:40pm

I am serious---that gave him the chance to stunt cast, and get plenty of free publicity because of it.

[Madame X]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 5:43pm

Interesting - thanks for the info.

[wildcat]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 11:13am

90% of the play is identical, but I disagree that the new version of the Pidgeon Sisters scene is 'pretty rough'. Turning them into the Spanish brothers Manolo and Jesus was an inspiration, and I have rarely heard laughs as big in a theatre as for that one scene. Lewis J. Stadlen and Tony Shalhoub played the roles on Broadway.

[BJC899]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 11:38am

I saw this a few years ago with Barbara Eden (I dream of Jeannie). It was good. Someone from the Mary Tyler Moore show was in it also.

[wildcat]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 11:44am

I remember Rita McKenzie, best known for her Ethel Merman impersonation, played Olive opposite Barbara Eden in one touring production.