Par for the Course

Offered the usual friendly welcome as I entered the foyer by Helen and Bob Stranks, I was given my ticket and took my seat. The lights dimmed and we were entertained by a video in the first instant extolling the virtues of Seven Lakes Golf Club, but which took a turn as the promo video was replaced by a montage of comedy golf "Fails". Very funny. The video concluded and the screen and video projector were put away and the play started in earnest.

The set was based in the outdoors, outside the members' bar with leaf-lined walls to stage left and right, a putting green front stage right with a white painted brick back wall and various tables and chairs. The set was very effective and allowed good space and room for the actors to utilise - this they did well. The lighting was very effective and the sound was at just the right level, we could hear without being overpowered, well done Richard Garland and his team. 

The play is based on the fictitious golf club "Seven Lakes" and is set around the various comings, goings and disasters from Captain's Day, starting with the captain who called in sick!

This was a six hander and all those involved, Ken Giles as Barry West, Jeremy Miles as Nick Armitage and Chris van Schaik as Simon Weaver (a true stickler of the rules, regs and etiquette), ably backed up by Caroline Rogers as Fran, Caroline Barfoot as the archetypal golf widow and Katie Flannagan as the "Essex Girl" Tiffany Jennings, whose comedy timing was spot on. The diction was good and, married with the sound levels, all was heard and the story was easy to follow. The cast all knew where they were supposed to be, a testament here to the obvious work of Director Mike Flannagan

Overall this was a very enjoyable evening in the company of a range of characters played very well by the cast and I suspect that Peter Gordon, the writer, based the individuals closer to the truth than we know! Well done Soberton, Bravo.

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