Still from ‘The Odd Couple’ Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

After an eight-year hiatus, theater company Fools & Sages returns to stage Neil Simon’s iconic comedy the odd Couple Under the direction of Ajay Kesavan. The play, which centers on two mismatched roommates – Oscar, a carefree sports writer, and Felix, an obsessive clean man who is recently separated from his wife – will give theater lovers in Bengaluru a glimpse of friendship, quirks and clashes. invites you to experience the humor and poignancy of this story. Ajay’s memories of watching the 1968 film with his father inspired his decision to direct the play, giving a fresh, relevant twist to this classic.

“I remember seeing the odd Couple When I was about 13 or 14, I made a film with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau on a rented video cassette,” recalls Ajay. “I was rolling on the floor laughing, and ever since then, I’ve wanted to bring a little bit of that joy back.” Revisiting the play for this new production also brings a welcome challenge: balancing the nostalgia of Neil Simon’s 1960s comedy with the modern dramatic sensibilities expected by Bengaluru audiences.

Still from ‘The Odd Couple’ Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Ajay’s approach adapts the humor of the play while adapting its tone for local audiences, such as incorporating Indian English accents to make it more relatable. With over 50 actors auditioning, they chose a talented group that naturally embodies the deadpan, subtle style of comedy. the odd Couple Demand. “A lot of humor is corny, so it was important to tell jokes without trying to be funny. Also, physical comedy involves the risk of going overboard,” explains Ajay. The workshops were helpful in refining the balance of each actor’s comedic timing, especially for Oscar and Felix, whose contrasting personalities must be expressed with precision.

Staging a New York-based play on the comparatively smaller stages of Bengaluru also presented unique challenges, especially for scenes involving action and movement. “Indian forums are generally smaller in size than the odd Couple Ideally this is what is needed,” he says. This required innovative choreography and blocking to keep the scenes moving without crowding the space. “It was surprising to see how challenging it was to actually stage it, even though it was such an easy read. The cast laughed out loud during the first read, but putting it all together was more challenging than we expected.

Still from ‘The Odd Couple’ Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Despite these constraints, Ajay finds considerable creative freedom in Neil Simon’s richly structured script. “The communications are fast and sharp, and the signals to action provide us with a great foundation for moving forward,” he says.

Ajay believes that the core of the play is its portrayal of the respective character dynamics. To create authentic chemistry between the cast, the team spent an evening together playing poker, like Oscar and Felix’s group of friends in the play. This camaraderie helped the actors play their roles more naturally. “Everyone relates to both Oscar and Felix,” says Ajay, “There is an Oscar and Felix inside each of us – or at least in someone we know. That’s what makes this play work so well.” “Echoes from.”

“We’ve all had an Oscar or a Felix in our lives, and I hope audiences connect with that familiarity and walk away with a little laugh—and maybe a little nostalgia, too.”

the odd Couple Will be staged at Jagriti Theatre, Whitefield on 15, 16 and 17 November. Book tickets on myshow.