Review of Step Up Productions' Barefoot in the Park

Once upon a time I went to a show and it was called Barefoot in the Park. It was by Neil Simon and it was directed by Michael Driscoll. It was about these two newlyweds, Corie (Alex Fisher) and Paul (Colin Sphar). They just moved into a new apartment which is on the top floor of a building in New York. And Corie's mother Ethel (Sarah Minton) comes over and doesn't like the place. They have a new neighbor named Victor Velasco (Michael Pacas) who is a kind-of-Russian, kind-of-French person and causes everyone to make very bad choices with alcohol when they all go out. This show is about love, differences in personality, and changes. This was a really really fun show. It was hilarious, touching, and so much fun to be at. The acting was great and the story was so clever.

Everyone when they walk into the apartment has a different opinion. And at the very beginning something very funny happens. The couple notices there is a hole in the window and when the mother walks in, they want to keep her from noticing the window. Corie and Mr. Velasco both thought it had a lot of potential. But Paul and Ethel think it is very ugly. Even the telephone repairman Harry Pepper (Randolph Johnson) had an opinion about the apartment. He was nice about it, but I don't think he liked it much. But he did seem to like Corie, just not the apartment. But by the end I think the apartment doesn't look very bad at all because Corie and Mr. Velasco put in some very nice furniture and things the mother buys them. Mr. Velasco seems like a best friend for Corie. The people who like the house have very carefree personalities. And the people who don't like the house are very sharp and uptight and determined to do what they think is right. Nobody has to change completely; they just have to change their beliefs slightly so they can get along with the people they are spending a lot of their time with.

Corie and Paul had realistic arguments that were also funny When you think back on the arguments you have you sometimes think, "Oh that is how ridiculous we sounded." I loved how Corie and Paul's voices went into this quiet screaming voice, which is totally what I do. Everything they did was something humans do when they are exasperated. They didn't go too over the top, so it was believable that they were actually arguing and it made it much more like a real argument. I was slightly scared they were going to break up. But they get to know each other better throughout the show so they love each other more. There was a lot of door slamming and mad faces which were pretty funny. I felt sorry for their downstairs neighbors! And there is also a part where she sets up dinner for him, but at a separate table. And I thought that was very funny. But it is also touching because you can see they still love each other even though they are really mad.

In the second act, Ethel, Corie, Paul and Mr. Velasco all went out drinking at a restaurant and came back drunk as five sailors. Paul was only half-drunk, Ethel was a full drunk. And Corie and Mr. Velasco were 1 3/4 sailors drunk. I think this was a very very funny scene. It was so funny to see the mother drunk and everyone else acting like crazies, except for Paul who was acting like a complete normal person. I also loved the pre-drunkeness knichi which is supposed to be terrible. Or was it good? No one will ever know. I think I would like it, because I love eel. It shows the personality of each character. Ethel shows her personality of not liking new things with a disgusted face. But over time, she acquires new tastes and that opens up a whole new world for her and opens her to so many new things.

People who would like this show are people who like adorable couples, funny arguments, and knichi. I think people should definitely definitely go see this show. It was fantastically funny, and I loved it!


Photos: Emily Schwartz