Barefoot in the Park

Barefoot in the Park is Neil Simon’s classic romantic comedy about what really happens after “happily ever after” begins.

Newlyweds Corie and Paul Bratter have just finished a blissful honeymoon and are moving into their first apartment—a tiny, drafty fifth‑ or sixth‑floor walk‑up in Manhattan with a leaky skylight, no bathtub, and far too much rent.

Corie is a free‑spirited optimist who sees the charm in every imperfection, while Paul is a buttoned‑up young lawyer who prefers order, caution, and central heating. Their opposing personalities are tested as Corie attempts to spice up their lives by fixing up her anxious mother, Ethel, with their eccentric neighbor Victor Velasco, leading to a disastrous double date on a freezing night that pushes the Bratters to the brink.

Over the course of a few chaotic days, slammed doors, hurt feelings, and one memorable fight, the couple must decide whether they can embrace each other’s differences and meet in the middle—perhaps even learning to run “barefoot in the park” together.

Simon’s hit play later became the beloved 1967 film Barefoot in the Park, starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda as the irrepressible Corie.