Barefoot in the Park

Critiqued by Holly Bartges

January 26, 2010

Just when you think it isn't possible, someone's eyes sparkles, "Just you wait and see."

PHAMALY'S Barefoot In The Park trembles with exhilaration.

Neil Simon's well-loved play about newly wedded Corie and Paul Bratter, living in a New York Brownstone five floors straight up, well, six if you count the stoop, has been exhausted over the years by overwork. Community Theatres as well as the Pros have grabbed onto it, and grabbed onto it, and grabbed onto it until you want to plead, "Can we just let it rest, oh, say for the next fifty years?"

The cast of the Physically Handicapped Actors & Musical Artists League's "Barefoot in the Park" at the Aurora Fox. Photo credit: Michael Ensminger

Along comes PHAMALY (Physically Handicapped Artists And Musical Artists League) who says, "Let's do Barefoot."

Guess what?

With Director Edith Weiss at the helm, PHAMALY not only produced it, but breathed energizing life into its soul, creating a production that walks, and acts, and dances through its paces as though it has never seen the Boards before.

Lyndsay and Jeremy Palmer take on the roles of Corie and Paul with a zest for life, and married life at that, who would and could stand proud next to Broadway actors of Barefoot. Yes, a mouthful, but a truth.

Paul, a want to be exquisite lawyer, organized, predictable, authentic, logical, (no, of course, you don't run barefoot in the park during the middle of winter.) fell deeply in love with Corie, a happy go lucky, beautiful woman who thinks married life should be a joyful ride of spontaneous togetherness. She loves the apartment, loves the fact it is five floors straight up (six if you count the stoop), hopefully to discourage family, friends, and mothers to just sort of drop by unannounced. Who cares the furniture didn't arrive when she was told it would be? She is thrilled to spend her first night in her apartment after six days in the Plaza Hotel. What? No bathtub? Who cares? Paul does. So what? Who cares the bedroom is really a dressing room and one has to climb over the bed to get to the closet? It's their first apartment as a married couple, and that's all that matters. Who cares Paul has his first case as a lawyer in the morning, and he needs the night to prepare, but there's no place for him to sit. Well, he does.

Who cares Victor Valasco, enchantingly played by Nicholas Ortiz Thammell, hasn't paid his rent in four months, and needs to go through their apartment, and through the bedroom window to walk the ledge, to get to his apartment so the apartment manager doesn't see him? He's debonair, charming, a gentleman and a leech when he has to be, but oh, so charming about it. He invites Corie and Paul to his apartment for a cocktail party, but "don't forget to bring the liquor". Thammell wonderfully absconds Victor into his own being, and you can't help but fall in love with him. Corie doesn't try to hide her enchantment for Victor. Paul, however, shows no difficulty hiding his disgust. A cocktail party? Tonight? Bring the liquor? He has briefs to prepare and no place to sit.

Jeremy Palmer in PHAMALY's production of Barefoot in the Park. . Photo credit: Michael Ensminger

Mothers don't let five floors straight up (six if you count the stoop) stop them from just popping in, especially Cori's mother, Mrs. Banks, who now lives alone in New Jersey, and doesn't let anyone forget. Of course she is going to buy the newly weds lots and lots of new stuff. What else does she have to do? Lucy Roucis gives Mrs. Banks a "Roucis-esque" twist, keeping her dead pan, letting her eyes speak ravishingly, about her honest reactions. The soft-sell dead pan is brilliant.

The entire cast is brilliant including the Delivery Man, played by Don Gabenski. Only on the scene for a minute, but his eyes dance and twinkle loving every second.

Stephen Hahn as the telephone repairman, Harry Pepper, after climbing five flights of stairs, (six if you _______) takes a small role and turns it into a major part. You keep hoping they have phone trouble so he has to return again and again, even though Harry hopes he never has to climb those stairs again.

When the first fight as a married couple comes, and it always does, Lindsay and Jeremy allow it come full blown. Forget the comedic lines, they come no matter what, but these two are not afraid to let the fight turn real. As the fight turns honest, the antics they conjure up are one of a kind, and a riot, serious, but a hysterical riot. They have to be appreciated, which after all, is the point. No pretense here. Because of it, Simon's genteel comedy flows stronger than ever, which is the way it is suppose to come. The fight turns to not speaking, which turns to divorce proceedings, which turns to Paul packing his bags, nursing a cold and leaving, leading him to think why should he leave, Corie should be the one.

A conniving dinner on a Friday night with Victor and Mrs. Banks leads to disaster, which leads to Simon's brand of "funny-esque", which leads to creative reconstruction.

Weiss and her exceptionally talented cast, grab hold of Simon the way he wants to be grabbed hold. All too often, companies think "Simon, aha! Comedy", and play it for the laughs. This company plays for the reality of the script. Consequently, the comedic out pouring is funnier than ever. Simon would be oh so proud, as well as those who have seen Barefoot maybe one too many times, discovering a bright, fresh eye-popping production.

Tina Anderson designed the set beginning with an empty apartment, a ladder, a drop cloth, and a couple of suitcases. Between Act I and II she turns it into a pleasant place for a newly married couple to live, disclosing a large window to see Victor edge his way along the ledge to get to his rooftop apartment, and to see Paul clinging to the ledge yelling at the top of his voice how much he loves Corie after he has run barefoot through the park.

Lyndsay Palmer in PHAMALY's production of Barefoot in the Park. Photo credit: Michael Ensminger

Linda Morkin designed the appropriate costumes, including the short robe belonging to Victor that Mrs. Banks ends up wearing because she can’t find her clothes. This too, is a must-be-seen wondrous moment.

Jeanne Kloosterman, an unsung heroine deserves a great deal of credit. Not in the cast, never on stage, but one PHAMLY richly depends upon as Volunteer Coordinator. The Volunteers make sure the actors get to rehearsals, performances, assist in the dressing, and anything else needed. Without the Volunteers, PHAMALY could not exist, and thank God they do. After participating in this masterful production, if anyone is interested in becoming a PHAMALY Volunteer, contact them at (303) 575-0005 or email. info@phamaly.org.

Meanwhile, call now for reservations. This is one production of Simon's Barefoot in The Park no one should miss.

Barefoot In The Park
By Neil Simon; Directed by Edith Weiss