Neil Simon, the Most Successful Playwright in The History of Theatre
"It can be argued that Neil Simon is not only America's most successful
playwright, but also the most successful playwright in the history of theatre."1
Despite being criticized for lack of substance, his hugely successful comedies
are consistently revived, whether on Broadway or in other community or dinner
theatres. Last week the University of Notre Dame's Mainstage season opened with
the departmental premiere of Barefoot in the Park. Though the play originally
opened more then thirty years ago, the themes of compatibility and compromise
that it presents are still relevant today. Simon masterfully manipulated the
plot of Barefoot in the Park to include all of the elements of a fine play
(intrigue, credibility, surprise, etc.) and to create a viable playscript that
both emphasizes the play's major themes and, just as importantly, makes the
audience laugh.
Simon has skillfully constructed the plot of......
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