The Odd Couple, a comedy stage play performed at an auditorium of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), invited mixed reviews from the audience; some considered it a great source of laughter and enjoyment for the dwellers of a terror-ridden city, others were admirers of the production team while yet others viewed the two male leads, who shared an apartment, as suspiciously homosexuals!
This exaggerated fantasy was probably a result of the recent hype created by Islamic groups over the LGBT rights event organized at the US embassy last month. A play by Neil Simon, ‘The Odd Couple’ first appeared on Broadway in March 1965 and soon became a thundering success. It was eventually made into a movie and later became a hit TV show as well. In Islamabad, this iconic comedy drama about mismatched room mates was presented by the US Embassy in collaboration with PNCA and Lush- an entertainment company. It was performed to a packed audience with US ambassador to Pakistan, Cameron Munter as the chief guest.
Commenting on the occasion, Munter said: “In some ways, the relationship between the US and Pakistan does bear resemblance to the relationship between Oscar and Felix, the play’s two protagonists. We sometimes see the world in different ways, but as Oscar and Felix discover, and as I believe is true for our bilateral relationship, that even while we pass through rough patches at times, we can always find a way to live together, to support each other, and to prosper.”
Directed by Allen Nause and produced by Osama Qazi and Fatim Arbab, this classic comedy opens as a group of the guys are assembled to play cards in the apartment of divorced Oscar Madison (Atif Siddiqui), and if the mess is any indication, it’s little wonder that his wife left him. Late to arrive is Felix Unger (Faisal Imtiaz) who has just been separated from his wife, Oscar takes pity on him and allows him to stay at his apartment.
Oscar and Felix’s regular poker buddies become worried that the neurotic Felix would ‘do something stupid’ (like commit suicide) but as the action unfolds after the clean-freak and the slob decide to room together (with hilarious results), Oscar becomes the one with murder on his mind. Some viewers, while talking to Pakistan Today stated that the adapted production has failed to impress them; “I couldn’t stop thinking how badly this play needed an updating.
The first scene is so slow, and the actors adhered so rigidly to the original script that they passed up opportunities to ad lib or do anything which would have cleverly included the audience in the joke. As it is, there are no new jokes, this play is just a time killer,” commented Hamza Khan. Another viewer, Hadia, added, “The ‘Odd Couple’ is a classic which, at worst, is boring and predictable. Maybe it’s because we are so overly-familiar with the play’s premise and characters, but this production, while perfectly competent, looks a little tired. There is absolutely nothing new under the roof here but in spite of all this I have had a reasonably good time.”
However, another viewer was of a different opinion, “The play is a fun to watch, it is full of inspired lunacy and has some truly hilarious moments, with great gags and the hilarious interaction between the two lead actors, whose screen chemistry is undeniable. Also, the performance of the Pigeon Sisters was astounding.” Allen Nause, the director is the Artistic Director of the Artists Repertory Theatre in Portland, Oregon and a US Cultural Envoy, who came to Pakistan at the invitation of the US Embassy.
In addition to directing this play, he has conducted a series of workshops for young artists in Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore over the past two months. 12 other artists performed in the play alongside Atif and Faisal, including Owais Zahid, (the Policeman), Omar Rahman (an Accountant), Shayan Shah Gillani, Syed Mohammad Bukhari, Iram Rehman and Irum Ali (the Pigeon Sisters).
‘The Odd Couple’ will continue to entertain people in Islamabad until July 17.
