Arjun Pande, Ays Garcia, Mike Wu, and Alexandra Tavares Photo by Giao Nguyen

Barefoot in the Park is notable for its lack of any real plot, rather relying on its characters' situations to provide narrative momentum (the influence of this can also be seen in the long-running sitcom "Seinfeld"). Corie and Paul Bratter are young newlyweds starting their new lives together in a small, shabby New York six-floor walk-up (five flights, "if you don't count the stoop"). Paul is a strait-laced, moderately uptight, up and coming lawyer, while Corie is a free-spirited young woman trying to distance herself from her overbearing mother. The couple is visited by the upstairs neighbor, Victor Velasco, the middle-aged, bohemian, and perpetually broke "Bluebeard of 48th Street". Victor and Corie share a similar love of spontaneity, while Paul and Corie's mother, Ethel Banks, share a more rigid view of life. The cast rounds out with the small role of Harry Pepper, the Telephone Repair Man, who witnesses snapshots of the couple's marital situations and offers comedic comments and lived perspective.

As their different philosophies of life become increasingly apparent in their new marriage, Corie and Paul invite Ethel and Victor Velasco to dinner. Awkwardness promises to be the main course, as the four (already socially lubricated by several martinis) leave for an Albanian restaurant of Victor's choosing. Upon their return, all four are very drunk and marvel at the strange foods they ate and how much ouzo they consumed. Victor offers to take Ethel home to New Jersey, leaving Corie and Paul to argue about how the evening transpired. Corie had a wonderful time, while Paul was impossibly out of his comfort zone. Corrie complains that Paul is a "watcher," and she is a "doer," and can't understand why he can't just "run barefoot in the park" despite it being 17 degrees outside.

During their long shouting match, Corie demands a divorce and insists that Paul leave. As Paul leaves, she receives a phone call saying that her mother never arrived home. Panicking, Corie is met at the door by her mother, wearing Victor's bathrobe and slippers. Ethel doesn't remember exactly what happened, but Victor arrives to tell them that after Ethel passed out on their way downstairs, he brought her to his apartment to sleep and that nothing untoward occurred. Ethel and Victor both realize that finding middle ground in their approach to life could be beneficial, and fun, for both. Corie realizes that she loves Paul, and after some gentle advice from her mother, prepares to go out to find him. On cue, Paul returns, blazing drunk. They also come to understand that compromise and mutual understanding will be the key to a "happy and wonderful marriage–like two out of every ten couples."

If the premise of the show is thin and the story dated, Barefoot in the Park is nonetheless a fun escape to a simpler time where alcohol fuels comedy and all ends well. Each character has a chance to showcase their comedic talents. The running gag throughout the show is the six-floor hike up the stairs. Every character (except Corie and Victor) bursts through the door heaving and out of breath. This just starts to become tedious when, upon their return from dinner, Paul stumbles in, carrying Ethel under his arm like a suitcase. As Ethel's feet drag on the floor, both she and Paul collapse on the couch, creating one of the funniest moments on stage.

Alexandra Tavares, in the role of Mrs. Banks (Ethel), all but steals the show with her delivery of Simon's witty remarks and her innate physical comedic timing. All eyes are on her when she is on stage. Her withering glances, sophisticated aloofness, and ultimately bemused resolve make her a fully human character. She is, at her core, "a good sport," as Victor tells her. Witnessing her and Victor's relationship develop reassures the audience that Corie and Paul's marriage has promise.

Corie is delightfully played by Ays Garcia, bringing fresh effervescence to the new bride whose naïve disillusionment with married life drives the central conflict. Garcia's command of the comedic elements shines as well, going from full-throat fury to quiet charm and hospitality in a breath. She has charisma that can fill a stage twice the size of Taproot's Jewel Mainstage Theatre and certainly will in the future.

Similarly, Arjun Pande embodies the role of Paul with the confusion of a young man maneuvering within his new world of married life and corporate America. His concern, fear, frustration, and love are on full display and create a believable and relatable character. He is not so much a "stuffed shirt," as Corie calls him, but an overwhelmed twentysomething trying to do his best in the face of the unknown. Clearly, Mr. Pande is a gifted actor, as his ability to be morose and hilarious at the same time is a fun to watch. It's difficult to think of furtively eating goulash as objectively humorous, but when Mr. Pande does it, it is a standout moment in the show.

Mike Wu plays Victor Velasco with exuberance and flamboyance. His is not a hard-boiled, lady-chasing New Yorker as his "Bluebeard of 48th Street" moniker might suggest. Mr. Wu plays Victor as a middle-aged man who never lost his sense of wonder and awe, and who desperately holds onto his fading youth. "I wish I were ten years older ... dirty old men seem to get away with a lot more. You see, I'm still at the awkward age." Mr. Wu is at his most authentic when he confides in Ethel that he dyes his hair and should start acting his age. It is his vulnerability that makes him human and sympathetic, as opposed to a one-dimensional annoying upstairs neighbor.

One must mention Brian Pucheu who plays the small role of the Telephone Repairman. Not only does his presence remind the audience of the time the play takes place (a rotary phone that plugs into the wall–how analog!), but his is a lens through which the audience sees the couple's natural changing dynamics. Mr. Pucheu has mastered the art of the awkward silence, stretching uncomfortable moments into comedic relief. Despite his deadpan expression, it is clear the Repairman finds the situation at least as funny as the audience.

Barefoot in the Park is staged in Taproot Theatre's Jewel Mainstage, an intimate space with seating on three sides of the stage. This could cause scenery issues for a show that was written for a conventional stage. Scenic and sound designer Mark Lund solved any potential scenery problems by placing all the furniture and props on the stage, covered by drop cloths and cardboard boxes. Between scenes, the lights dim as Victor and Paul remove the boxes and Victor "directs" Paul to arrange the furniture to his specifications. Momentum of action is maintained, character continuity is preserved, and audience engagement is sustained.

Barefoot in the Park is certainly a dated time capsule representing a past era and a New York that doesn't exist anymore. The extended drunken yelling will be perceived differently today than it was when the three-martini lunch was the norm. However, the challenges of newly married life, or of new beginnings in general, are timeless. The cohesive cast, who clearly enjoy each other, make the show relevant and enjoyable, and worth seeing.

Barefoot in the Park runs through June 20, 2026, at Taproot Theatre Company, Jewell Mainstage Theatre, 204 N 85th Street, Seattle WA. For tickets and information, please call 206-781-9707 or visit taproottheatre.org.