THIS New York Jewish comedy by Neil Simon needs an intimate setting to be truly appreciated. The Albert Halls is not of that order.

The Octagon, and the audience, seemed to be missing their home theatre which is being refurbished. There was too little forthright laughter on the second floor at the Albert Halls during Saturday night's production.

The play about a man's midlife crisis is cleverly conceived and written and in Ian Forrest's production well acted in a way true to the genre.

But the production did not jell until after two acts and two intervals when everyone apparently felt more at home.

Because of the response earlier in the play, the cast might have been surprised that the audience proved so appreciative at the end.

The appreciation was well earned not least by Claude Close as Barney, a man floundering through three attempted affairs with women all of whom suffer various neuroses. "Boy, can I pick 'em," says Barney.

Carol Holt as Elaine came closest to being an authentic New York Jewish character, but the audience was not ready for the acebic wit of her lines. Nicola Wheeler's role as the zany Bobbi, who introduces Barney to smoking pot, makes a satisfactory Octagon debut.

Pat Rossiter as Jeannette, the subject of the last of Barney's failed dalliances, brings strength to the third act in a maturely acted scene that finally brings the last of the red hot lovers down to earth and back to his wife.

In the end I felt only mildly entertained and a little cheated by not having having seen the play in more intimate surroundings. Doreen Crowther

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