''Last of the Red Hot Lovers'' is a comedy by

Neil Simon Marvin Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018) was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. He has received mo ...

. It premiered on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

in 1969.

Production

The play opened on Broadway at the

Eugene O'Neill Theatre The Eugene O'Neill Theatre, previously the Forrest Theatre and the Coronet Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 230 West 49th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and ...

on December 28, 1969, and closed on September 4, 1971, after 706 performances and six previews. Directed by Robert Moore, the original cast featured James Coco, Linda Lavin (as Elaine),

Doris Roberts Doris May Roberts ( Green; November 4, 1925 – April 17, 2016) was an American actress whose career spanned seven decades of television and film. She received five Emmy Awards and a Screen Actors Guild award during her acting career, which bega ...

(as Jeannette), and Marcia Rodd (as Bobbi).Barnes, Clive. "Stage: 'Red Hot Lovers': Comedy by Neil Simon Opens at the O'Neill", ''The New York Times'', December 29, 1969, p. 37 The scenic design was by Oliver Smith, the costumes by

Donald Brooks Donald Brooks (January 9, 1928 – August 1, 2005) was an American fashion designer and creator of the "American Look" founded in the 1950s and 1960s. He had an immense passion for stage and film, designing well over 3500 costumes. His effor ...

, and the lighting by Peggy Clark. Later in the run, Dom DeLuise replaced Coco,

Cathryn Damon Cathryn Lee Damon (September 11, 1930 – May 4, 1987) was an American actress, best known for her roles on television sitcoms in the 1970s and 1980s. She is best known as Mary Campbell in ''Soap'' (1977-1981). Early years Damon was the ...

and then

Rita Moreno Rita Moreno (born Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano; December 11, 1931) is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer. Noted for her work across different areas of the entertainment industry, she has appeared in numerous film, television, and thea ...

replaced Lavin, and

Barbara Sharma Barbara Sharma (born September 14, 1938, Dallas) is an American actress and dancer of the night clubs, stage, television, and film. She began dancing at age 4 and professionally at age 9, dancing in nightclubs in Miami and Havana, Cuba. As a dance ...

replaced Rodd. The play, Coco, Lavin, and Moore all were nominated for

Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

Plot overview

Barney Cashman, a middle-aged, married nebbish wants to join the

sexual revolution The sexual revolution, also known as the sexual liberation, was a social movement that challenged traditional codes of behavior related to sexuality and interpersonal relationships throughout the United States and the developed world from the 1 ...

before it is too late. A gentle soul with no experience in

adultery Adultery (from Latin ''adulterium'') is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal ...

, he fails in each of three seductions: *Elaine Navazio, a sexpot who likes cigarettes, whiskey, and other women's husbands; *Bobbi Michele, an actress friend whom he discovers is madder than a hatter; and *Jeannette Fisher, his wife's best friend, a staunch moralist.

Adaptations

Simon adapted his play for a 1972 film directed by Gene Saks. The cast featured Alan Arkin, Sally Kellerman (as Elaine), Paula Prentiss (as Bobbi), and

Renée Taylor Renée Adorée Taylor (née Wexler; born March 19, 1933) is an American actress, screenwriter, playwright, producer and director.Taylor was nominated for an Academy Award for co-writing the screenplay for the film '' Lovers and Other Strangers' ...

(as Jeanette). A Chinese adaptation, starring the husband-wife team of Xu Zheng and Tao Hong (who played all 3 seductresses), was so well received in China that the couple performed the play over 30 times in 2005 and 2006. In 1999 a North American Tour starring Gary Burghoff played throughout the US and Canada. The show was produced by William and Sally Rogers and in addition to Burghoff featured Sherry Lubov-Ripps, Genah Gale and Nancy Marvy.

Reception

Clive Barnes Clive Alexander Barnes (13 May 1927 – 19 November 2008) was an English writer and critic. From 1965 to 1977, he was the dance and theater critic for ''The New York Times'', and, from 1978 until his death, '' The New York Post.'' Barnes had sig ...

, in his review in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', wrote: "He is as witty as ever...but he is now controlling that special verbal razzle-dazzle that has at times seemed mechanically chill... There is the dimension of humanity to its humor so that you can love it as well as laugh at it."

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Last Of The Red Hot Lovers 1969 plays Broadway plays Plays by Neil Simon American plays adapted into films Plays set in New York City