Saturday, February 18, 2006

Golf with Alan Shepherd - a review

The play "Golf with Alan Shepherd" concerns a foursome of old duffers who are playing golf because they have nothing better to do. It is full of one-liner jokes that are worth the price of admission, at least the way the actors at the Chautauqua Playhouse delivered them last night. But there was a definitely serious side to the play as well. One of the golfers is a defrocked priest who left the church after 50 years to chase a 19-year old floozy who ended up stealing his Buick. Another is a man who has lost his wife and as "compensation" can't seem to miss a putt. A third is a grouch who bemoans the loss of his "army buddy" who died on the 16th green the previous year and whose place has been taken, reluctantly, by the buddy's brother who can't seem to figure out why he is made about being taken for granted.

So underlying all the "old man" humor is a serious discussion of life, god, women, death, dying, and friendships. At my age the humor sometimes cuts a little too close to reality and the discussions of death and the loss of loved ones is downright frightening. Even so, I highly recommend the play.

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