Felix Ungar, a neurotic, neat-freak news writer is thrown out by his wife, and moves in to share an apartment with his recently divorced friend Oscar Madison.
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 with hilarious results.
The result is a laugh-a-minute in MADC’s production of Neil Simon’s classic comedy The Odd Couple, with Chris Dingli and Malcolm Galea in the leading roles.
Felix and Oscar are the best of friends but can’t stand each other’s temperament. Oscar is a good-natured slob but his problems include careless spending, excessive gambling, and a poorly-kept house filled with spoiled food – but he seems to enjoy life, or so he thinks!
Felix, on the other hand, is fastidious and utterly incapable of enjoying anything, pointing out his own and other people’s mistakes and foibles. Even when he tries to do so in a gentle way, his corrections and suggestions are annoying to those around him. The two men, both rejected by their wives, cannot live together… but can they live apart?
Director Wesley Ellul chose this play as he believes it can mirror certain aspects of local society in view of changes in our laws allowing divorce and other more recent social changes.
Simon’s clever lines and insight into human nature are still fresh, heart-warming and funny today.
This hilarious bromance with Dingli and Galea as the two ‘room-mates’, is a story that develops from an opening poker game with friends, to an attempt by two sisters to help Felix ‘recover’ from his recent separation trauma.
The cast includes Colin Fitz, Joe Depasquale, Edward Caruana Galizia, Daniel Walters, and Maxine Aquilina.
• Performances are being held at the Salesian Theatre in Sliema on February 19-21, and at the Manoel Theatre on February 26-28. All performances start at 8pm.
Tickets may be obtained from the Salesian Theatre, online from www.teatrusalesjan.com or by calling 2133 1447; from the Manoel Theatre by e-mail: bookings@teatrumanoel.com.mt or by calling 2124 6389; or from MADC by e-mail: bookings@madc,com.mt or 7777 6232.