2004: The Foursome by Norm Foster

The Foursome by Norm Foster.  Directed by Cathie Clelland for Canberra Repertory at Theatre 3, July 23 - August 14.

    "Great fun!" was the comment that rose above the general hubbub of celebration as the lights went up at the end of opening night.  I thought The Foursome was fun, but it's not a great play.

    It takes a while to warm up, but all the actors - Michael Sparks (Donnie), Brendan Sloane (Cameron), Alex Sangston (Ted) and Simon Lissaman (Rick) - have got their characters right and work very well together as an ensemble.  Clelland's direction neatly takes us into occasional set pieces which contrast with the naturalistic scenes, and the result is a sense of design in the production, an achievement on stage which the audience can justly celebrate.

    The Canadian Norm Foster "has been compared to Neil Simon" and his work related to "the character-driven comedies of Woody Allen", according to the program notes.  That's stretching a long bow, at least in this play about a reunion on the golf course, after 15 years, of four male Business graduates. 

The situation is static, even though they play 18 holes, and the comedy comes from the particularly competitive nature of Rick, who gets dudded in the end.  It's as good as one of David Williamson's lighter-weight pieces, but even in a play like Money and Friends, Williamson's one-liners get us laughing sooner and more consistently.

The set design, costumes, sound and lights are up to Rep's usual excellent standard, and it was pleasing to hear the actors very naturally using proper Canadian accents.  This is important because these characters' attitudes and language are not just North American but specifically Canadian.  Foster has an ear for his native English just as Williamson has for Australian idiom.

Though, in my terms at least, the play is not "great", it is certainly fun.  The treatment of the issues, such as the men's relations with women, though quite daring in its day, almost seems naïve in today's upfront world, but this only adds to the humour.  It's funny, in both senses, to look back to 1989 - as the characters do to 1974 - and seem to remember an innocent past.

Book at Rep on 6247 4222.

© Frank McKone, Canberra