DER NEUE MERKER

(…) There is bound to be an element of risk in presenting a comedy set in the golfing world, given that much of the audience hasn’t a clue about golf (just like football, skiing, tennis or formula 1, any sport, for that matter, golf has its own terminology). Need we be concerned? No, for the author presents us with an absurd, crazy comedy about winning a tournament (considerable sums of money being at stake); in fact, however, the play is about a cast of splendid characters scurrying about the stage.

(…) Ken Ludwig doesn’t miss a single hell-for-leather effect during the proceedings in which an adopted child finds both father and mother in one fell swoop (Mozart’s Figaro is sedate in comparison); the zaniest methods are employed to try and calm the youngsters and their confusions down, in the hope that they will succeed in winning the tournament. Hardly surprising that the result is the outrageous slapstick that the genre demands; not to mention the delightful parodies, for instance of the final dance scene from “Some like it hot”.

Justin, the hysterical young man and Louise, his equally shrill, petulant and delightful darling are played by a couple of actors both of whom could walk away with any prizes for extreme vocal reaches, squawking and blathering; Jonathan Cobb and Rhiannon Chesterman (in his case complete with physical contortions) give performances of the highest quality farce has to offer.

More elegant, Bingham (Jeffrey Harmer) and the coolly sardonic Pamela (Amanda Osborne) who it transpires are the child’s parents, whilst the robustly mischievous Dickie (Julian Eardley) and his Muriel are a pair of rough diamonds; Annie Walker turns in a performance as a thunderous battle-axe that is a masterpiece of „over-the-top“!
Philip Dart has placed this mix in a none-too luxurious country-club setting with pace and verve; he drums the events in with a force that is perfectly appropriate here; why mention is also made in the programme of a „Movement Director“ (Sally Brooks) becomes clear at the end; as a reward for our applause we are spoilt with a „speed-run“ of the entire plot that is hardly new, but a comic, virtuoso tour-de-force.
To sum up, then, even if you don’t understand the first thing about golf, a fantastic comedy evening is in store for you; good English obligatory.

Renate Wagner
06.06.2015

XTRA!

Vienna’s English theatre is now showing a refreshingly madcap production of Ken Ludwig’s farce, “The Fox on the Fairway”. The author is best known for his comedy, “Lend me a Tenor“, but the highly enjoyable chaos of this piece is every match for that famous play!

(…) Directed by Philip Dart, we encounter a six-person ensemble who present the characters with great verve and pace as they struggle, with a non-stop, ever growing flurry of activity, to get out from under from an impending dilemma.
The duel for victory in the forthcoming Golf Tournament between the two rival Club Managers, Bingham (Jeffrey Harmer) and Dickie (Julian Eardley) has its pitfalls – many an effect is reminiscent of the „Golden Girls“ and similar TV series. A highlight is Amanda Osborne, as the far-from abstemious “Grande Dame“, Pamela; Annie Walker is a magnificent battle-axe, Bingham’s joyless spouse. The young pair – Justin (Jonathan Cobb) and Louise (Rhiannon Chesterman) make the most of continuous hectic activity. The final twist is reminiscent of Mozart’s „Figaro“…sua madre, suo padro?“, with a birthmark solving the problem of finding someone to play in the tournament who is up to beating the champion, Tramplemain; of him we only learn his name. The setting is, as ever, remarkable and affords us, on the tiny stage, with everything we need in order to solve the dilemma, complete with view over the golf-course which must be somewhere out in the audience…

Robert Waloch
312/2015