subject: Golfers Played for Laughs in 'GOLF: The Musical' [print this page] Golfers Played for Laughs in 'GOLF: The Musical'
As anyone who's played or observed the game of discount golf clubsknows, it's a very serious sport with an equally silly side to it. Michael Roberts has mined the frustrations of golf addicts to create a funny, good-natured comedy revue titled "GOLF: The Musical," that has returned to off-Broadway for another round. More precisely, it opened underneath Broadway on Monday night, in a cheery revival downstairs on 46th Street at the Midtown Theatre.
Tom Gamblin, Lyn Philistine, Brian Runbeck and Christopher Sutton are a vocally and comedically gifted foursome of golfers who play Callaway RAZR X Irons , handling various roles in nineteen vignettes about the popular pastime. Appropriately, the nightclub-style venue also serves as a veritable "nineteenth hole," that time-honored, post-game spot for a friendly drink.
The cast harmonizes quite nicely together on Roberts' catchy songs. The amusing opening number answers the question, "Why do a musical about golf?" and the satire takes off from there. In one skit, Gamblin and Runbeck have fun playing famous celebrity golfers Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, getting laughs by mocking their own (Callaway RAZR X Irons) attempts at impersonation.
Sutton has a wide-eyed delivery that serves him well, especially when he sends up film noir in "Golf Detective." Speaking about a low-scoring golfer, he drily intones, "This guy couldn't break a hundred if he was a bank teller."
Philistine, a strong singer and expressive performer, is a good Callaway RAZR X Irons with the sometimes sophomoric, over-the-top double-entendres, notably in her golf-widow solo, "My Husband Is Playing Around," and "Golf's Such a Naughty Game."
The production is enhanced by the lively onstage piano accompaniment of musical director Ken Lundie, apparently enjoying each joke as if hearing Taylormade R9 Max Driver TYPE E for the first time.
