House of Blue Leaves

The Odd Couple: A Farcical Tale

Characters: 4 male, 6 female

Interior Set

Artie Shaugnessy, a songwriter with grand aspirations, toils as a zookeeper by day and seeks his fortune in seedy piano bars in Queens, New York, where he lives with his wife, Bananas. Much to the chagrin of Artie's downstairs mistress, Bunny Flingus, who is willing to sleep with him anytime but refuses to cook until they are married.

On the day the Pope is making his first visit to the city, Artie's son, Ronny, arrives unexpectedly. Ronny, a compulsive liar and schizophrenic, is fleeing from the police, having stolen a woman's life savings. Artie and Bananas must now contend with Ronny's erratic behavior and the impending arrival of the Pope, all while navigating the complex web of their relationships.

As the chaos unfolds, Artie's upstairs neighbor, Barney Cashman, a successful middle-aged businessman, becomes embroiled in the situation. Barney, seeking a romantic interlude with Bunny, finds himself caught up in the madness. Meanwhile, Bananas, increasingly unstable, struggles to maintain her grasp on reality.

Adding to the farcical mix, Artie's childhood friend, Billy Einhorn, a successful Hollywood producer, arrives with his neurotic, self-absorbed fiancée, Hilda. Hilda, determined to find the perfect wedding dress, complicates the already convoluted situation.

The story reaches a climactic point when the Pope's visit is threatened by Ronny's antics, and Artie must decide whether to turn in his son or protect him. As the characters' lives intertwine, the play explores themes of love, family, and the often-blurred line between sanity and madness.

Through the lens of this outrageous and absurdist comedy, the playwright offers a poignant commentary on the human condition, revealing the cracks in the facade of suburban life and the challenges faced by individuals grappling with their own demons.

The Odd Couple is a testament to the power of laughter to illuminate the complexities of the human experience, where the line between tragedy and comedy is deliciously blurred.

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