NEIL Simon’s 1963 comedy, Barefoot in the Park, is a welcome addition to Frinton Summer Theatre’s 2023 season.

For rom com-lovers new to The McGrigor Hall, this is an ideal opportunity to dip your toe.

Olivia Bernstone and Jamie Treacher make quite the pair going toe-to-toe as New Yorkers, the spontaneous, spirited Corie and the ‘buttoned-up’ Paul, most notably portrayed by Jane Fonda and Robert Redford in the 1967 film adaptation of the same name.

Newlyweds, moving into their first place together after a 6-day honeymoon at the Plaza, who will soon find out if the shoe fits just as well in more… “cosy”… quarters; specifically up six flights of stairs in a brownstone apartment building, surrounded by eccentric neighbours.

One wants to keep the romance alive with fun and spontaneity; but the other has an important court case in the morning. What can go wrong?

In a small, cold, leaky apartment, we witness the beginnings of married life, asking ourselves; when the honeymoon’s over and you rejoin the real world… is love really all that matters? Do you have to change yourself for your spouse, or is it possible to reach a compromise?

Olivia Carruthers and Nathan Osgood provide wonderful character support to the protagonists, as well as further comic relief, in the form of seemingly uptight mother-in-law, Ethel, and the wannabe-dirty-old-man from upstairs, Victor.

Full of witty dialogue, quick-paced quips and clever wordplay – with a dash of slapstick to boot – the performance presents some familiar, comforting rom-com themes, leaving the audience rooting for the couple, hoping for a happy ending; do they have what it takes to go to the distance?

Barefoot in the Park has stepped onto Frinton Summer Theatre’s centre stage this week and will run until Saturday 22nd July, offering evening and matinee performances.

To book tickets, visit the Main Box Office at 60 Connaught Avenue or The Little Yellow Hut at McGrigor Hall. Or buy online at www.frintonsummertheatre.org.