Amazingly, the 1992 film despite having an all-star cast with actors like Al Pacino (nominated for an Oscar), Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris and Alan Arkin, did not break financially even. The script contains references to Polaks, Chinks and the ‘Patel’ family’s way of doing business; whilst filming the producers were forced to remove the derogatory comments about the Indian family.

This enthralling, 95-minute (no interval) production can be seen nightly at 7.30 in the Heath Ledger Theatre, within the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia, on the corner of William and Roe Streets, Perth. The season runs until Sunday the 14^th June.

The play opens in an L-shaped Chinese restaurant, with the clients seated in individual, tabled booths. The walls are trellised wood panels, the seating rich scarlet leather. This most authentic effect is topped with the ever-present, lucky waving cat.

The real estate sales office was remarkably spacious, with all of the fixtures of a well-established company. Richard Roberts and his associate, Patrick Howe, designed the stunning sets and costumes – from the slick salesmen’s suits to the cheap baggy trousers of Mr Lingk. Stage Manager Georgia Landre-Ord, assisted by Claudia Blagaich ensured the smooth running of the props and stage rotation.

Jon Buswell’s lighting design was cleverly contrasted; from the warm welcoming atmosphere of the restaurant to the stark, brightly lit office. The mood was perfectly enhanced by Ben Collins’ sound design and soft musical compositions.

        Mitch and Murray is a large group of Chicago real estate agents. The owner, much to the chagrin of the employees, sends his arrogant, cold and calculating nephew, John Williamson (Will O’Mahony) to run a branch office, Premier Properties.

        Shelley ‘The Machine’ Levene (Peter Rowsthorn) was, until recently, the most successful salesman of the decade; but Williamson has his favourite salesmen in the office, and so gives them the only ‘good leads’, i.e. those properties most likely to achieve the best prices.

         The play opens in the local Chinese Restaurant where middle-aged Shelley – who hasn’t made a sale for ages – is grovelling to Williamson for a decent couple of leads, such as the Glengarry Estate, instead of the unsaleable, rundown rubbish that has been sitting idle on the books for months.

        Around the corner of the restaurant, in another booth, are two more employees that are disgruntled. Ruthless, loudmouthed Dave Moss (Kenneth Ransom) has had a bright idea, and is trying to get on board, the depressed, nervous George Aaronow (Luke Hewitt). He wants George to break into their own branch office and steal all the details of the prime properties, in order to sell them to Jerry Graff, their local rival. Aaronow is horrified, but somewhat interested.

        In another corner, top salesman Ricky Roma (Damian Walshe-Howling) who has few morals, is smooth talking a timid, elderly man, Mr Lingk (Steve Turner) into buying a property and is about to go in for the kill.

        Next day the police are called into the real estate office and Detective Baylen (Ben Mortley) gets to work interrogating, determined to solve a crime that has taken place overnight.

The play has a slow start, taking a few minutes until you know where the men work and what their ‘good lead’ is. Voice and dialect coach, Luzita Fereday, has taught the cast a soft, unobtrusive, Chicago accent and thankfully all of the players have the same drawl.

I have seen this play three times in the past, and come away totally unmoved, thinking ‘what a lot of words about nothing’, consequently I was quite reluctant to see this play again. Luckily I did go, as under the guiding hand of director Kate Cherry the whole meaning, depth of the rich dialogue, the tension and hateful competition suddenly came to life. This is one of these magnificent plays that either works brilliantly or dies miserably – with nothing in the middle. It takes a special team of fine actors to bring such a play to life, and here we have the cream. As a fly on the wall, you learn of the tensions, dirty tricks and heartbreaks of working in the real estate business.

Every actor has captured their richly written characters superbly; however, a special mention must be made of Peter Rowsthorn, who performs a whole spectrum of emotions, an outstanding and moving dramatic performance from one of the country’s funniest comedians.

There is frequent coarse language, and 90 minutes of solid, unrelenting bitterness with no light relief; however, you are left a little drained, but certainly not depressed.

It is rarely that you leave a theatre so overwhelmed by the standard of acting you have just seen. Black Swan at its very best.

His best known film script adaptations were probably ‘The Odd Couple’ and ‘Sweet Charity’; Simon who has been compared to Molière, and George Bernard Shaw, has received more combined Oscar and Tony nominations than any other writer. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his drama, ‘Lost in Yonkers’. Almost all of his 30 plays are based in New York.

When ‘Laughter’ was launched in 1993, it ran for 320 performances, before moving to London where it ran for 5 months. It is said that Neil and his brother Danny developed their scriptwriting on the eleventh and the twelfth floors of the NBC-TV building; these numbers added together made the fictitious 23^rd floor.

The original script was updated and then re-launched in 2011, and here it is now presented by WA’s own Black Swan State Theatre Company, at the Heath Ledger Theatre within the State Theatre Centre of WA, 182 William Street, Northbridge.

In this semi-autobiographical script, Neil Simon has changed the names of his colleagues, but I have included their suspected names along with the name of the actor. Woody Allan was part of their team, but is not in the play.

The two-and-a-half hour performances at 7.30 each night until Saturday 20^th September. There are matinees available too.

It is 1953, and on the 23^rd floor of the Rockefeller Plaza, where we find the slightly tatty, Art Deco office of several comedy scriptwriters. The office has a very high ceiling, with large windows looking across New York’s vista. There is a conference table, settee and a refreshments table. There is a surprise, impressive addition made to the set that will have you asking ‘What happened there?’ Set designer, Lauren Ross is to be congratulated on this breath-taking set and the wonderful costumes. As always, Trent Suidgeest’s lighting was inspired, with all aspects achieved.

     A nervous young lad has arrived to join one of the most prestigious TV show, writing teams in New York. He is Lucas (James Sweeny, character inspired by Neil Simon). He is greeted by a flash, beret wearing, Milt Fields (Humphrey Bower as Sheldon Keller) who advises him to be first to the bagel dish. Milt explains that they all write for the central star of the show, Max Prince (Peter Rowsthorn as Sid Caesar) whose behaviour and memory is a little unpredictable due to the number of pills that he takes. The secretary, Helen (Lara Schwerdt) brings in the coffee jug and some notes, and Lucas settles down to meet the others.

       The studious looking Kenny Franks (Stuart Halusz – did not recognise him at first – as Larry Gelbart) is next to the coffee. As the fast fire, one-liners fly around the room, Kenny comes out with the odd gem. Next, to arrive is the dejected Russian immigrant, Val Skolsky (Igor Sas as Mel Tolkin) who is desperate to blend into American society, but is having trouble swearing convincingly. The door opens and the heavy smoking Irishman, Brian Doyle (Ben Mortley as Tony Webster) coughs his way in, accompanied by the petite and smart Carol Wyman (Jo Morris as Lucille Kallen) a most unlikely writer, but who can come up with lines as good as the men.

      Much later, a distraught man in a camel hair coat staggers in, he is Ira Stone (Damon Lockwood as Mel Brooks) a hypochondriacal man that has a different major ailment every day. With most of the morning frittered away the team starts work.

       In the middle of the night, spaced out, Max Prince calls a couple of the writers to inform them that NBC is likely to axe their show; what do they suggest that he can do to save their programme?

Even in this rip roaring comedy, Simon’s trademark of compassion and moral behaviour shine through. The comedy is richly written, packed with one-liners, in the style of Groucho Marx, for almost every minute of the whole 150 minutes. The play was written decades ago, but the jokes are as fresh as ever. A little corny at times, but the delivery of every word was splendid.

Although I suspect much of the comic routine and delivery may have been created by the experienced comedians, it was up to director Kate Cherry to keep the play flowing in an orderly manner.

Simon always builds into his scripts, human failings and eccentricities and these came across amongst the madcap humour, often delivered by the stressed or sad characters. The cast were quite a cross section, with a mix of professional comedians such as Peter Rowsthorn and Damon Lockwood, with the more serious actors like Humphrey Bower and Igor Sas proving their adaptability and versatility. The rapport was outstanding, with many places throughout the play when spontaneous, enthusiastic applause gave credit to the performers. The timing, body language and expressions were exceptional, the pleasure for the audience and I am sure the cast, was heart-warming.

It is a long time since I have seen so much well delivered humour in a play, and I know several patrons who have already seen this play more than once. A special theatre experience.