OFF-BROADWAY REVIEW
If you’re a
golfer, you know that the odds of pulling off a hole-in-one on consecutive par
3 holes are over 156 million to 1 which is almost equivalent to the chances of
winning the Powerball lottery. On the other hand, the possibility of success of
an off-Broadway musical revival is probably much better than this. However,
with the tough economy taking a heavy toll on the Great White Way these past
weeks, that same probability is perhaps not too far off. One has to be only
reminded of shows which (despite huge Hollywood and Broadway stars on their
marquees) closed or will close prematurely a few weeks (or even days!) after
their opening night (Think Elling, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, La Bête, etc.) to realize this. Although
these early casualties are straight plays, even musicals are not spared. The Scottsboro Boys, which opened amidst
controversy five weeks ago, will close this weekend. Although In The Heights has been running for a
few years and a movie version is being planned, this 2008 Tony winner for best
musical will also close early next month on the same day as La Bête.
But one would argue that only Broadway shows are probably affected
because these are all Broadway shows. No, even long-running off-Broadway shows
are falling victims. The highly entertaining and critically-acclaimed The 39 Steps will close one day after the
final performance of In The Heights and
La Bête. Even hit musical shows are
transferring to smaller venues (Think Rock
of Ages, Rain). And we will
probably hear more of these in the coming days. Thus, the
current revival of Golf: The Musical
faces an enormous challenge of attracting a generally financially-conscious
crowd into the door of Midtown Theater amidst ever-tightening competition from
other shows. After its successful off-Broadway run in 2003, the three guys and
lone gal of Golf: The Musical are
back in the fairway for a second round. Billed as a swinging comedy revue, the
show consists of a series of vignettes, skits, gags and songs which are pieced
together to make one whole show about one sport: golf. Except for a
piano, a bench, golf clubs, stuffed squirrels, plastic balls and a tarpaulin
backdrop emblazoned with the show’s title, the stage is practically bare. But
the warmth and verve projected by the show’s highly energetic foursome is so
contagious that it feels like being in a crowded party watching some close
friends make fool of themselves. Michael Roberts
has updated his 2003 book and lyrics to poke fun at golf and its aficionados,
with touches of trending developments such as Sarah Palin’s 2012 political ambition,
Lindsay Lohan’s urine test, Susan Boyle’s body tan, Paladino in La Cage Aux Folles and the much-ballyhooed
humongous budget of Spider-Man: Turn Off
the Dark on Broadway. Roberts’ delightful tunes and cleverly-written lyrics
are delightfully rendered by the show’s appropriately dressed cast with such
passion that nobody seems to mind the occasional irreverent lyrics. The opening
number, A Show About Golf, sets the
tone as the talented cast enumerates the outrageous reasons for mounting such a musical, fashioned
after David Letterman’s Top Ten. In his solo
number titled, Big Bertha, funnyman Brian
Runbeck admires, no, worships his golf club’s oversized head. Runbeck’s
obsession with his strange golf club reaches a point where he expresses desire
for it to bear his child. This bizarre
number literally ends on a funny note as Runbeck reads a funny note
acknowledging the donor of his custom-made golf club, complete with the
sponsor’s store address, phone number, e-mail address and store website. Of course, no golf
show is complete without mentioning its most controversial icon. Tiger Woods’
eponymous song is filled with sexual overtones which, thankfully for the
grandmas in the audience, get drowned by the audience’s hearty laughter. Christopher
Sutton, who was in the musical’s original cast when it premiered in 2003, sings
this naughty tribute to Woods with such relish that he could have easily sent
those elderly ladies in the front row swooning over his crystal-clear soothing
voice with matching boyish charm. Sutton’s other solo number, Golfing Museum, gives these ladies
another opportunity to listen to his excellent singing voice. Lyn Philistine’s
solo numbers, Great Lady Golfer and My Husband is Playing Around, showcase her
extraordinarily powerful voice. Philistine’s impressive voice projection seems
suited to a grand stage that it could probably fill the entire Carnegie Hall even
without the aid of a microphone. Her over-the-top performance reminds audience
of the madcap antics of Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett. Indeed, it is a
delight to watch the loving duo of Christopher Sutton and Lyn Philistine literally
makes beautiful music not only in real life but on stage as well. In the number, The Road to Heaven, Tom Gamblin plays Bing
Crosby while Brian Runbeck plays Bob Hope in their skits a la Saturday Night
Live. However, it seems that Bing and Bob have their bodies switched. Bing has
gained weight while Bob has lost some weight in the great beyond (or is it part
of the joke?). The wacky repartee between these two talented actors is so
enjoyable that nobody seems to mind the double entendre jokes. In the song, Presidents and Golf, the quartet makes
fun of past presidents, with the meanest joke targeted at you-know-who. With interactive
shows getting to be the rage these days, Golf:
The Musical is not one to be outdone. Brian Runbeck hosts a golf putting
contest among the audience which is preceded by a brief audience seminar on
golf spectator etiquette. Tom Gamblin
displays his tender side in the melancholy The
Beautiful Time, an ingeniously written song with sentimental lyrics. To
reveal what this song is all about will ruin its delicious twist. The final
number, I’m Going Golfing Tomorrow, is
a hilarious tribute to the addicting lure of golf among its loyal devotees who
would forsake everything (i.e., their safety, their health, even their wives!) just
to take a swing with that revered golf club. Director
Christopher Scott did a great job of making sense of those vignettes, skits and
gags between song numbers, and showcasing the versatility of his four exceedingly
talented actors to come up with a highly engaging and irreverently funny show.
Ken Lundie’s musical direction, Susan Nicholson’s lights and Steven McMullen’s
sound also help in making this production truly enjoyable. While Tiger
Woods’ highly-anticipated comeback led to his disappointing performance to lose
last weekend’s final round of the 2010 Chevron World Challenge, Golf: The Musical’s comeback has
definitely won its audience’s hearts, giving it a good chance of pulling off a
hole-in-one to survive the financial turmoil which is currently terrorizing this
theatrical fairway called Broadway. 
WHOLE-IN-ONE - A REVIEW OF GOLF: THE MUSICAL
Reviewed by Ron S. Covar
Published 2010-12-07
Click here to buy group tickets.
