Scenes from
THE ODD COUPLE
(female version)
by
Neil Simon

November 6th. to 15th. 1997

Avril and Joanna		Claire Gill Joanna Barbara Jane
Dave Avril Nigel		Nigel Dave

Newspaper Crit.

REVIEW The Odd Couple

As always, the nine day run, ending on Saturday (November 15) is almost sold out. But if you're lucky enough to secure one of the last few seats, you are certain to sit back and enjoy an entertaining evening of laughter.

Comedy is something ROADS does well. The Phoenix Theatre rings with the sound of laughter and the cast always seem to enjoy themselves at least as much as the audience.

This production is no exception. And centre stage is the classic ROADS comedy duo Joanna Hicks and Avril Farley. Last seen together in the hilarious Fallen Angels, these two are the Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau of Ross.

Avril as Florence, newly separated from her short, balding husband is the perfect straight woman to Joanna’s wisecracking character, Olive who runs a prime time news show.

For this is the story of what happens when the cynical slob, Olive, lets the houseproud hypochondriac, Florence, move in. There can be no odder couple.

Unless, of course, you've met the Spanish Marx brothers, Manolo and Jesus who were played to perfection by Derek Wood and Nigel Patrick, two ROADS members who have won accolades for a wide range of roles in the past.

The women dominate this cast and they were a well chosen team who clearly shared a camaraderie both on and off stage. Mick the Cop played by Gill Haslam was a character worthy of any American police programme. Barbara Morley-Jones once again lived up to her fine acting reputation as Olive's hippie aunt Renee. Jane Russell and Claire Price played their small, but perfectly formed roles with confidence and enthusiasm.

The play also boasted a female director, Judith Dredge. This was truly a female version.

Credit is also due to Ken Farley, a stalwart on and off stage for ROADS. He was kept constantly busy as his talents were not only employed as producer but also as set designer and constructor, programme editor and publicity officer.

If you have never seen a ROADS production before, this is one well worth watching. And if you can’t get a seat, there is always their next production, "A Voyage Round My Father" by John Mortimer to look forward to next March.