Understanding Neil Simon

Widely known as Broadway’s king of comedy, Neil Simon has written such popular and critical successes as
Barefoot in the Park ,
The Odd Couple ,
Brighton Beach Memoirs
and the Pulitzer Prize-winning
Lost in Yonkers . In this guide to his work, Susan Koprince provides an overview of Simon’s career and in-depth analyses of his major plays. Koprince suggests that, in addition to - or in spite of - his unmatched commercial success as a writer of comedy, Simon qualifies as a master dramatist of 20th-century theatre. Koprince recounts Simon’s emergence from humble Jewish American origins to celebrated status as the most commercially successful playwright in the history of American theatre. She traces Simon’s style to Greek New Comedy, acknowledges his affinity with Jewish humour, and emphasizes the Chekhovian blend of humour and pathos that has become the hallmark of Simon’s writing. From
Come Blow Your Horn , to
Laughter on the 23rd Floor , Koprince examines 16 of Simon’s most significant works. She underscores the range of Simon’s dramaturgy and evaluates the reasons for Simon’s popularity, including his gift for verbal and situational humour, his commitment to traditional values, and his mastery of a comedic style in which humour and sadness are inextricably intertwined.