California Suite

by Neil Simon

Visitors from New York, Philadelphia, London, and Chicago are the protagonists in four playlets set in the Beverly Hills Hotel

Genres: Plays, Drama, Theatre, Humor, Fiction, Audiobook, Comedy

118 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Marvin Neil Simon was an American playwright and screenwriter. He wrote more than 30 plays and he received more combined Oscar and Tony nominations than any other writer. He was one of the most reliable hitmakers in Broadway history, as well as one of the most performed playwrights in the world. Though primarily a comic writer, some of his plays, particularly the Eugene Trilogy and The Sunshine Boys, reflect on the twentieth century Jewish-American experience.

Reviews

[Ali Najafy · Rating 4 out of 5]

این نمایشنامه رو دوست داشتم و میشه گفت تم دیالوگ و محتوای صحنه‌ها مطابق سلیقه‌ام بود

نیل سایمون قلم خوبی داره و می‌تونه خیلی ساده کنش بین افراد رو در قالب دیالوگ های کوتاه و پشت سر هم به نمایش بذاره
قطاری از دیالوگ‌ و پرسش و پاسخ های کوتاه که شخصیت هر فرد رو واکاوی می‌کنه

به هیچ وجه اطلاعات یا توضیح اضافه‌ای در متن وجود نداره و کوتاه بودن صحنه‌ها در جذابیت و گیرایی نمایش تاثیر زیادی داشته

[Amene · Rating 4 out of 5]

خیلی خوب بود خصوصا با آخرین پرده بی‌نهایت خندیدم🤣

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic Premise: 4 different scenes that take place in the same suite in a California hotel room.

Each scenario was interesting in its own way. All were funny, some had serious moments as well. I wouldn't do this with high school students due to some thematic and language elements, but it is really rather mild as far as controversy or concerning shenanigans. I think that the right actors could make these scenes downright hysterical, but just reading the script some of the jokes fell a bit flat.

[Heather McC · Rating 4 out of 5]

After listening to 'Plaza Suite' (which had the more compelling story), this Neil Simon play offers more slapstick comedy about a vacation gone awry for two couples, a divorced couple finagling a summer with their daughter, and an actress on the eve of an award night - all taking place at the same hotel suite.

[Aimee · Rating 2 out of 5]

A local theater company is putting this on, so I thought I'd have a preview before deciding to go. I'm glad I did. Though the last scene was pretty funny, the others just didn't connect with me. They felt too angry and had more language than I care for. Maybe it's better seen on stage.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

charming as hell. I particularly liked the third "playlet", about the English couple. !!! not sure if I'll be successful auditioning for this one, though, since it's all about middle age (even though it doesn't have to be).

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Neil Simon does his West coast version of his PLAZA SUITE but this time with 4 small plays in the same room. Four different stories that go from divorce duo drama with rapid fire quips and comebacks to farce slapstick tense comedy back to couple drama and then back to real slapstick comedy. The best ones are the drama takes.

[Vic Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

If walls could talk. Neil Simon's "California Suite" follows the adventures of a hotel room in the titular California or rather the couples that stay there. Sometimes funny, sometimes touching, the play is well loved for a reason.

[Lauren Hancock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite--I find myself reading Simon's distinctive voice but missing Eugene being its vehicle of delivery. But still clever and fun.

[Brian McCann · Rating 5 out of 5]

So well-crafted. So funny.

[Mack · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first Neil Simon play I didn’t like.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The experiences of the four couples in this play captivated me. This is another Neil Simon play that makes my "favorites" list.

[Lea Handler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this play!

[Dan Blackley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The California version of Plaza Suite. There is one really funny scene with the doctors and wives playing tennis.

[Sophie Bloor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The wit of Neil Simon is unmatched. I liked this, not too invested in the characters but an enjoyable ride nevertheless.

[Phill Batt-Capps · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because our community theatre will be putting on this show in the fall. It was average, a couple chuckles, but not outstanding.

[Andrew Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

cool concept, some of the vignettes were duds

[Andrea Janov · Rating 3 out of 5]

The California Suite was more entertaining than its New York counterpart, though I am not sure there was any situation or character that will stick with me.

[Kristi · Rating 2 out of 5]

The dialogue was not as funny now as it seemed in 1976. Kristi & Abby Tabby

[Shai Kauffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very deep and creative

[Susanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/6 points, play-script, tennis act most amusing, others not that interesting

[Hannah Hammond · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my fave Simon, but it was fun.

[Donna Hester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gotta love Neil Simon!

[Katherine Abraham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This play is everything I love and only everything I love. Never have I seen people make up so quickly

[Rachel Saper · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 - out of the hour scenes - the first and last were my favorites. But the middle two were just eh. I’m not sure how well these would play today.

[Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of Neil Simon's best. Had a successful run on Broadway, and was made into a feature film in 1978.

[Vel Veeter]

Very similar in structure to Plaza Suite, but with four scenes in a suite in a California hotel. Get read for some California jokes!

In scene one, a divorced couple are discussing who their teenager should live with after she’s run off to meet up with her dad in California. It’s a kind of we’re actually kind of good together now that we’re divorced thing.

In scene two, a man wakes up in bed from a night of drinking to find a passed out prostitute in his bed. Not a huge problem except that his wife is arriving soon for them to go to a wedding.

In scene three, an old actor couple discuss their long marriage and especially how his closetedness affected all things.

In scene four, two vacationing couple returning from Hawaii and breaking in California before heading back home. They have a lot of unspoken things to speak about.



Over all, I bet this is a juicy play to get a role in because there’s a lot going on, and again, it’s very funny.

[Kayla Elizabeth Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of playets could quite easily find itself sitting amongst my 'Favourites' pile. The way that Simon's has interjected comedy into each scenario is, in a single word: brilliant! Despite each scene being quite short, the brief encounters with these characters does not at all deter the reader from being fully invested in their stories. The dialogue is sharp, and always serves a purpose. The action jumps right off the page and really does its best to engage the reader.

I look forward to reading more of his plays!

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still great, but not as funny as Plaza Suite. The witty repartee between Hannah and Bill over who gets custody of their teenage daughter is tops as is the couple from London in their bits as Acadians screen actress and her not-so-closeted antiques dealer husband. The other feuding couples - bar mitzvah and tennis?! Not as shining. Again, nobody does bickering like Neil Simon.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was Set designer and played the part of Beth Hollender in this fun play. :-)