Barefoot in the Park, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

Neil Simon wrote Barefoot in the Park nearly 50 years ago, in 1963, and it’s still a timeless and popular play today. The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre was packed on Monday night, and the audience were in a good mood, hooting with laughter and loving the often slapstick humour.
The action revolves around a 20-something couple, Paul and Corrie Bratter, who have moved into a top floor apartment in New York. Corrie is vivacious and madly in love with her lawyer husband, who is more reserved and appealing in many ways. In this production Faye Castelow plays Corrie and she must surely go home exhausted after every performance. On stage she races here and there, bursting with excitement, leaping off the sofa into the arms of her charming husband. I guess that’s how Neil Simon envisaged the role but her eternal joie de vivre didn’t please everyone; I heard one lady say in the interval that she might throttle Corrie in the second act if she didn’t calm down.
Maureen Lipman plays Corrie’s rather interfering mother and her stage presence and timing is still a joy to behold. Lipman’s acting always seems effortless, the audience love her and she manages to play even the farcical scenes without overplaying them or appearing ridiculous. She also directed this production. Her late husband, Jack Rosenthal, always read the play before he started work on one of his own saying it had ‘perfect construction’ hence it holds a certain place in her heart.
Victor Velasco is the man who lives above the newly-weds and the only way he can enter his tiny flat is through the Bratter’s apartment, so happily, we see a lot of him. Oliver Cotton manages to play this lovable rogue without making him seem a fool and his comic timing is superb. Perhaps it’s all down to their considerable experience but I enjoyed the scenes with the older pair in the play - I felt I was in the room with them, settling down with a shared drink and enjoying their gentle banter.
The first act flies by and the pace is good, but things go a bit pear-shaped at the start of Act 2 when we have to witness about 15 minutes of Paul and Corrie arguing, no, actually screeching, at each other. I always feel there is nothing to be gained from witnessing long arguments on stage. It’s uncomfortable, and invariably wearing - for us and probably them.
Of course there is a happy ending for the young couple, and all in all this is a very good, professional cast. Neil Simon’s dialogue is quick and sharp and often very funny, and it is easy to see why he was nicknamed - King of the Wisecrack,
The play is timeless partly because there is surprisingly little reference to the world outside the apartment. Also, it is about a relationship between a newly married couple, and the same emotions could have run 300 years ago, or last week. There’s nothing deep and meaningful here, but why should there be?! If you’re after a light-hearted evening and visual eye-candy for all ages, this play ticks both the boxes.

Barefoot in the Park plays at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford until Saturday April 7th. Box office - 01483 440000.