Neil Simon has a reputation as a funnyman. Mention the playwright's name, and most people think of comedies like "The Odd Couple" and zany farces like "Rumors."

In reality, most of Simon's work has a definite dramatic overtone. From "Lost in Yonkers" to "Brighton Beach Memoirs," Simon is at his best, and his stories are most compelling, when he tinges the drama of everyday life with just a touch of humor.

"London Suite," which runs through Sunday, Sept. 26, at the Historic Everett Theatre, is a collection of four short stories, all set in the same London hotel room, but widely diverse characters and styles. Simon pulls out all the stops-from life-threatening drama to fall-on-the-floor farce-as he introduces the audience to a string of characters we can recognize as genuine.

The show opens with "Settling Accounts," a tense drama that shows a confrontation between Brian, a best-selling author played with gusto by Asa Sholdez, and his longtime business manager Billy Fox. It appears that Fox, played by Scott B. Randall, has embezzled all of his client's money, and Brian is determined to get it back.

This scene is enhanced by the skill of these two actors, and gasps from the audience were a testament to the power of the playlet. The few comic moments, mostly delivered by Sholdez, help break some of the tension while maintaining the integrity of the story.

In a scene that's a continuation from Simon's "California Suite," we meet up again with Diana and Sidney, a divorced couple still working out their complex relationship. Sidney, powerfully captured by David Alan Morrison, has come to ask his TV star ex-wife, portrayed by the talented Laura Kessler, to help pay for medical treatment for his male lover. The dynamics of their friendship and love for one another, despite past heartbreaks, creates a poignant tale of support and forgiveness.

Other standouts in the cast include Leslie Foley in multiple roles, Jennifer Michael as an eccentric doctor and Paul Grass as "the man on the floor."

Tickets for "London Suite" are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, students and military personnel, and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com or through the Everett Theatre box office, (425) 258-6766. Service fees may apply to ticket purchases.

The show is produced by Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts, a nonprofit arts education organization located in Marysville.