GOLF: THE MUSICAL

The Stage Online (UK) - www.thestage.co.uk - June 29, 2005

Golf is a big-time quasi religion in St Andrews, which proudly brands itself as its home, where the Royal and Ancient solemnly pontificates on the plethora of arcane rules it has laid down governing the game worldwide. It is serious stuff golf, with millions of devotees all suffering from a handicap.

So, neatly timed to coincide with this year's Open Championship held in St Andrews, full marks to the Byre in association with Eric Krebs for having, well, the balls to stage Michael Robert's razor edged musical, which takes a good humoured, mischievous thwack at this obsessive sport.

Directed jointly by Stephen Wrentmore and Rita Henderson, a splendid foursome of a cast decked in the de rigueur gear whisk us into a medley of fast paced songs and routines that mercilessly dissect and expose the game with a nicely poised balance of self deprecatory fun, double entendres galore and some hard hitting satire at the lingering prejudices against "blacks, chicks and Jews".

It whips along with a breathless energy digging into a repertoire that refers to the Hope-Crosby road movies, Raymond Chandler and the Bogart-Bacall duo, giving them a highly original spin. The numbers are catchy foot tappers. Steven Kynman serves up a terrific high-octane performance that would do credit to his Mickey Rooney alter ego, while a shapely, high kicking Carrie Ellis pole dances and vamps it up as a golf widow.

There is fine playing throughout from Jon Beales and Fiona Ewen lurking in a bunker. It is summer fare, hugely enjoyable and perfectly pitched.
John di Folco

The Stage Online - Review of GOLF