The Prisoner Of Second Avenue *** TNT

Prolific American playwright Neil Simon is a clever, often very funny writer, but he doesn’t always know when enough is enough and a joke wears thin.

This sprightly revival of his angst-ridden 1971 Broadway hit could profitably ditch a redundant scene involving a quartet of assorted siblings and focus solely on unravelling advertising exec Mel and his wife Edna when New York city life and the economic downturn push him over the edge.

Jeff Goldblum maintains the gags and the momentum as troubled 47 year old Mel, unable to cope with noisy neighbours and broken air-conditioning in their high-rise apartment, whilst Mercedes Ruehl provides the affectionate voice of reason as his devoted spouse, forced to become the breadwinner in a social comedy which sacrifices truthfulness for an onslaught of one-liners.

Vaudeville, Strand WC2R 0NH (0844 412 4663) Tube: Charing Cross tube secondavenuetheplay.com
Extended to 25th September £25 - £49.50