High school's 'Odd Couple' revels in mismatches

Eleanor Drews' strong performance as the messy Oscar Madison in the "Odd Couple," the La Conner Schools drama club's spring production, highlights this show. Jack Dougliis as neatnick and great chef Felix Unger, and Oscar's poker playing buddies make it an ensemble cast in a different odd way: the elaborate set that is Oscar's apartment living room is a feat, and accomplishment, to behold.

In the opening scene it is almost another character. Try to define all the messes laid across the floor and furniture. There are stacks of pizza boxes, a basketball, glasses, dishes and beer and pop cans galore. The dining room window opens, literally, onto a brick wall. Over the front and kitchen door are stained glass window transoms, found in early 20th century buildings. And on a side table of this early 1960s apartment, is a black rotary telephone with at least a 10 foot cord.

Director Taylor Pedrozak and Art Director Jess Clement ably lead the cast and crew. Backstage support came from Kailey Carlson, Mason Grosebeck, Morgan Huizenga (costumes) and Ian McCormick (sound). Kudos to all in fashioning this labor of love.

But the play's the thing. Drews creates a New York accented male and is the center of the action, which takes place entirely in Oscar's apartment.

The play opens and closes with a poker game around Oscar's dining room table. Friends Roy (Olie Phillips), Speed (Josi Straathof), Murray the baseball capped, mustachioed cop (Rachel Haley) and Vinnie (Jonathan Gonzalez) are supportive to each other and to Oscar and Felix, as are their roles here.

The game is interrupted by Felix's phoning, looking for a place to crash, his 12 year marriage over. Oscar invites him in to share the rent and chores. Oscar loves Felix's cooking, but not his cleaning. There are reasons Felix was kicked out.

The second act is made lively by the dinner date Oscar arranged with British sisters Cecily (Madoc Hiller) and Gwendolyn Pigeon (Emily Smith). Hiller had a good English accent.

Oscar's going ballistic on Felix – spreading paper like graffiti, stomping on the sofa and throwing pillows – highlights his mutiny and Felix's departure. There is great physical comedy along with the dialogue.

The play is odd in another way, probably to those with fundamentalist sensibilities. Several roles are gender bending, with boys playing women and girls men. That might be partly the logistics of a small high school production and partly a nod to the era of Shakespeare, or perhaps there is awareness that this production would be illegal in some states, say Texas and Tennessee.

It is, indeed, an odd age we are living in.

Neil Simon's play premiered on Broadway in 1965.