Prisoner of Second Avenue
Following his sell-out success in Speed-the-Plow, Hollywood star Jeff Goldblum makes a hotly-anticipated return to the London stage in Neil Simon's brilliantly observed, award-winning comedy.
Why see Prisoner of Second Avenue?
Set in the 1970's, The Prisoner of Second Avenue is a black comedy depicting a New York couple, Mel (Jeff Goldblum) and Edna Edison, enduring the trials and tribulations of city life.
Mel is made redundant and the stress of an economic crisis and urban life pushes him into having a nervous breakdown.
The family gathers to offer support, with Edna stoically bearing the burden of his disintegration and self-pity.
The Prisoner of Second Avenue originally premiered on Broadway in 1971, starring Peter Falk and Lee Grant, where it ran for two years and received a Tony Award nomination. It was subsequently made into a film in 1975, starring Jack Lemmon and Anne Bankcroft.
Key Information
Audience
Prisoner on Second Avenue is suitable for audiences aged 12 and upwards.
Dates
Finished 11 Sep 2010
Cast
Jeff Goldblum as Mel Edison
Mercedes Ruehl as Edna Edison
Mercedes Ruehl as Edna Edison
Creative
Directed by Terry Johnson
Written by Neil Simon
Lighting designer: Neil Austin
Designer: Rob Howell
Producer, Old Vic Theatre Company
Written by Neil Simon
Lighting designer: Neil Austin
Designer: Rob Howell
Producer, Old Vic Theatre Company
Reviews
Customer reviews
7 reviews, average rating: (4.3 Stars)
KR
Absolute must-see!
A show with buckets full of charisma and wit. Goldblum and Ruehl give an explosive performance. Fantastic. ... Read more
sphchicago
Loved it!
Goldblum and Ruehl gave fantastic performances in Prisoner. They
embodied Mel and Edna for the entire evening making you laugh
while empathizing with their life experiences. This is a must see
this summer. ... Read more
Russ & Diane
Witty & clever
Just left the theater and having read some other reviews I
was expecting to have been disappointed. True, Jeff does
play a variation of himself. However, what's wrong that,
especially when it works well in this Neil Simon play of how
an ad exec deals with the loss of his job. Jeff & Mercedes are
believable and witty in the main roles. The opening acts are
peppered with some snappy one liners and comebacks. The
overall pace of the play works well with the various acts
broken up with a clever approach that still moves the story
forward even while the actors aren't visible. So generally we
were impressed and had a wonderful few hours being
entertained. So don't believe the negative reviews, believe us
do yourself a favour and go see the play. ... Read more
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