Barefoot in the Park by Simon, Neil

New York: Random House. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. FIRST EDITION, SIGNED BY NEIL SIMON on the title page, of his first great hit- the play that would launch his career. The basis for the 1967 film starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. "The earliest of Simon's collaborations with director Mike Nichols (who won the Tony Award for Best Director), Barefoot in the Park was an instant hit with both the critics and the public, enjoying a run on Broadway that lasted for almost four years. Howard Taubman, reviewing the play for the New York Times, called it a 'bubbling, rib-tickling comedy' and claimed that Simon exhibited 'the dash of a highly skilled professional writer.' Norman Nadel, in the New York World-Telegram and The Sun, wrote that 'Simon's scintillating dialogue, the cast's spirited playing and Nichols' clear genius as a director of comedy turn this [play] into the merriest evening Broadway has enjoyed in years.' John McClain of the Journal-American summed up the response of many playgoers when he remarked that Barefoot in the Park was, quite simply, the funniest comedy he had ever seen" (Koprince, Understanding Neil Simon). Illustrated with photos of the original production starring Robert Redford. New York: Random House, 1964. Octavo, original cloth, original dust jacket. Book fine, dust jacket with tiny chipping to spine ends; closed tear and light soiling to back panel. A very handsome copy.