Foxton Little Theatre’s production of Death by Golf makes par rather than a birdie

Will Grandpa's golfing skills save the day? Foxton Little Theatre's production of Death by Golf stars (from left) Carl Terry, Angela Jones, Calle Brooke and Aaron Rolls.

Death by Golf

By Gregg Kreutz

Foxton Little Theatre until December 2

Directed by Marie Fearon

Reviewed by Judith Lacy

Death by Golf is not about golf and not really about death.

It’s about trust, greed and how loneliness can lead to you making bad decisions.

Foxton Little Theatre’s production of Death by Golf opens with veteran actor and director Carl Terry wiggling his bottom. It’s a great sight with Terry as Grandpa wearing plus-fours and patterned socks.

And as for how Grandpa removes ear wax from his hearing aids - it’s stomach-churning and definitely not to be repeated at home.

Grandpa is trying to practise his golf swing when he is interrupted by Muriel the lawyer, played by Angela Jones. She does well talking through a megaphone to get through to Grandpa.

Granddaughter Ashley (Calle Brooke) arrives seeking marriage advice and she is expecting to be joined by her husband of three weeks. But who is hiding in the cupboard?

The comedy had its New Zealand premiere at Whangārei’s Octagon Theatre in 2015. Playwright Gregg Kreutz is an oil painter and art teacher based in New York. He has set this play in Florida but it could really be set anywhere.

It’s too long and the “Grandpa can’t hear” and “Ashley won’t listen” gags could have been much shorter. It could also be funnier.

Timing is everything in this comedy and the cast handles this and the constant comings and goings superbly. The quartet also handled the show’s physicality well and congratulations to director Marie Fearon for getting the cast so polished for opening night.

Aaron Rolls cleverly plays two characters, nailing the voice and costume changes and being at the right door at the right time.

He played the disgruntled and misunderstood Woody in the brilliant The Pink Hammer, the theatre’s winter show.

I’m still raving about that comedy but I won’t be about Death by Golf.

However, my opinion is not shared by all with one woman at our table saying The Pink Hammer had too much talk and not enough action.

At the end of Death by Golf on Friday’s opening night, she declared “It was a good one.”

The woman sitting next to my friend was enjoying her first night ever at live theatre. She laughed so much she was wobbling. Apparently, the source of her mirth was Grandpa’s bird, which didn’t move but kept tweeting.

My friend commented the audience vibe was different this time, attributing it to the theatre being only half full. One woman at our table attributed this to the removal of half-price tickets for opening night.

The set is a joy to behold and a credit to Carl Terry, Derek Prior and Bruce Perry, who designed and constructed it.

New Zealand playwright Tim Hambleton has selected Foxton for the premiere of his latest play Up the Guts. He wrote the entertaining On the Right Track, which the theatre put on last year.

Up the Guts is about a rugby team struggling to field a team and no doubt the Kiwi humour will score a birdie in Foxton in 2024.