Reporter: Colin Meredith
Date online: 11/06/2008

This was the first time I had seen this Neil Simon Comedy and together with the Curtain Theatre audience we were not disappointed.

Set in the late 60's the play revolves around 47 year old Barney Cashman who enjoys a cosy life as the owner of a New York Fish restaurant. He has been happily married for 23 years and is desperate to sample the sexual revolution before it's too late.

The play in three acts reveals Barney's attempts to seduce three different wildly unsuitable candidates in three separate afternoons in his mothers Manhattan apartment.

With great attention to detail Bill Nuttall's set took us back thirty years to establish the plays setting in New York.

Barry Cottam's portrayal of Barney Cashman was a tour de force as we witnessed this middle aged man unable to succeed in sinning.

His first Liaison with Elaine played by Miriam Hill who he had met in his restaurant turned out to be a hard drinking femme Fatale. It was obvious from the start that with Barney's detailed awkwardness in the opening scene, things were destined to fail. Both characters established the delicate balance of their differing needs and Miriam Hill delivered the sharp and snappy humour with wisecracking cynicism.

Conscious of how much time they have, Barney talks so much about his one day of pleasure that Act One ends in an unbridled anticlimax.

In Act Two we witness Barney's second attempt at being unfaithful when Bobbie an unemployed night club singer enters the apartment.

Bobbie was played with enormous energy by Lisa Walton as we watched in amazement as she flits about the stage like a deranged butterfly.

Barney's attraction turns to fascination as she starts to unfold her life experiences. The audience became helpless with laughter as Barney realises just who he has let into his Mothers apartment. His well timed interjections contrasted well with the laid back pot smoking antics of Bobbie.

We were delighted at the end of the act as she persuades him to inhale pot as we see Barry Cottam's portrayal of this disingenuous character become totally believable.

In complete contrast we finally meet Jeanette, played with passion by Beverley Holt.

Jeanette turns out to be Barney's wife's best friend who is not quite sure why she is there.

Jeanette was played with great precision consistently hitting the precarious balance between depression and comedy.

Through the course of the act Jeanette begins to question just how decent people are. We see Jeanette popping the pills as her revelations result in reflection upon themselves. They both start to question why they need to be unfaithful when they are both happily married.

Jack Sunderland has to be congratulated on directing a cast who got to grips with the sharp and snappy humour of Neil Simon whilst equally portraying good understanding of the female view.

Curtain Theatre