Barefoot in the Park at Heidelberg

The third play of Heidelberg Theatre Company’s 2022 season is Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon, directed by Llaaneath Poor.

Llaaneath has been a member of Heidelberg Theatre Company virtually since birth, and is a second-generation director. Having worked on and behind the HTC stage several times, more recently she has enjoyed working as a director for the Company (Crossing Delancey in 2018).

Barefoot in the Park is a romantic comedy by American playwright, screenwriter and author Neil Simon.  The play opened on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre on October 23, 1963, and closed on June 25, 1967, after 1,530 performances.  It was Neil Simon's longest-running hit, and the tenth-longest running non-musical play in Broadway history.

The play revolves around Paul and Corie Bratter, newlyweds in every sense of the word. Robert Redford and Elizabeth Ashley portrayed these roles in the original production, but audiences may be more familiar with the 1967 film adaptation, starring Redford and Jane Fonda.  For their first home, the Bratters live in an apartment on the top floor of a brownstone in New York City.  Corie is optimistic about their future together, while Paul, the more anxious and grounded half of the couple, worries about the various flaws in their new abode.  After a surprise visit from Corie's conservative mother, they decide to introduce her to the eccentric neighbour-in-the-attic Victor Velasco, where everything that can go wrong, does.  A wild night ensues, one that highlights just how different Corie and Paul are.

Neil Simon was synonymous with Broadway comedy for decades, and helped redefine popular American humour.  Many of Simon's plays are set in New York City with a resulting urban flavour. Within that setting, Simon's themes include marital conflict, infidelity, sibling rivalry, adolescence, bereavement and fear of aging.  Despite the serious nature of these ideas, Simon always manages to tell his stories with humour, embracing both realism and comedy.

HTC welcomes back six cast members from their theatre family.  Kadey McIntosh (It's a Wonderful Life - a live radio play) will be playing the romantic and free-spirited Corie.  Jonathan Best (Twelve Angry Men & One Man, Two Guvnors) will play strait-laced Paul.  Ethel, Corie's conservative, well-meaning mother is played by HTC regular, Julie Arnold (All My Sons & August: Osage County).  Victor Velasco, the eccentric Hungarian neighbour, is portrayed by Laurie Jezard (Three Sisters & Present Laughter). Tim Camilleri (It's a Wonderful Life & All My Sons) returns to the HTC stage, bringing the humorous Telephone Man to life.  Completing the cast is Malcolm Cother, who, when not working as a carpenter, builder and artist, happily takes on the role of Delivery Man.

Production Coordinator Maureen McInerney leads a team including Melanie Belcher as Stage Manager, Emma Fox as Lighting Design, Andrea Cole as Sound Design, Cathy Christensen as Wardrobe, and Wendy Drowley for Décor. Special mention to Bobbie Parish (Prompt) and our backstage team.

The overall set has been designed by Mick Poor, Owen Evans and George Tranter and realised by the incredible HTC set-building team, led by Owen Evans and Doug McNaughton.  Llaaneath wishes to thank all those on the set-building team for their tireless work each Saturday.

Rehearsal Photos: top - from left: Corie Bratter, played by Kadey McIntosh, Paul Bratter played by Jonathan Best, and Ethel Banks played by Julie Arnold, and lower - from left:  Paul Bratter played by Jonathan Best with his wife Corie Bratter played by Kadey McIntosh. Photographer David Belton.

Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon

Nov 4 - Nov 19, 2022

Directed by Llaaneath Poor

Buy Tickets Online: htc.org.au

or phone the Box Office  03 9457 4117