Off-Broadway

From Backstage.com, December 18, 2003. By Elias Stimac.

Even if you don't golf, don't like golf, or don't know anything about golf, you still can find something to like about "Golf: The Musical." It is the easiest way to hit the links and enjoy the sport without leaving the comfort of your theatre seat.

Conceived by Eric Krebs, with music and lyrics by Michael Roberts, this "round in 18 songs" is a slick, fast-paced, tune-filled comedy revue. The concept is clear from the moment the audience enters the theatre and catches sight of James Joughin's set covered in Astroturf. Soon we are greeted by four cheery golfers, dressed in Bernard Grenier's humorous costumes, each of whom extol the virtues of the athletic pastime in song.

Of course, there are plenty of puns in the mix -- one song is titled "My Husband Is Playing a Round," another is "Let's Bring Golf to the Gulf" -- but most of the humor lies in the quirky characterizations of the cast. The frisky "foursome" -- and yes, that play on words is also used in the show -- includes Joel Blum, Christopher Sutton, Trisha Rapier, and Sal Viviano. All four performers are strong vocalists and expert comedians, shining in both solo spots and group numbers.

Director and choreographer Christopher Scott keeps everything on course as he smoothly orchestrates the onstage action from one vignette to the next. He cleverly stages some of the show's best sequences -- a tribute to Tiger Woods, a golfing detective yarn, and a re-creation of a Bob Hope-Bing Crosby stand-up routine. The latter skit is the highlight of the show, with Blum and Viviano hamming it up as Hope and Crosby, respectively.

Ken Lundie's musical direction and accompaniment are a lively addition -- he even gets a comedic solo moment of his own. And Aaron Spivey's clever lighting sets up several fun surprises.