Against the backdrop of a set the colour of eggshells, the fragility of human existence is played out in this story about the twilight years that conclude a life once filled with adulation and acclaim. But hey, cheer up! Although there might be an air of tragedy in the current predicament of poor old Willie Clark (Michael Keir-Morrissey) – one half of the one-time big-time comic duo The Sunshine Boys – this is most definitely comic tragedy with an emphasis on the comic side of the equation.
The thing is, Willie Clark won't be retiring peacefully – his ‘agitatable’ leisure suit-clad nephew/manager, Ben Silverman (Jonathan Martin), just got him a fantastic new gig. The only problem being that it's going to have to mean reuniting with the other half of The Sunshine Boys, Al Lewis (Geoffrey Heath), who Willie just can't stand. "We haven't worked together in ten years," he tells his nephew, "– haven't talked in 11."
The reformation of this tempestuous relationship is a recipe for disaster for well-meaning Ben, and a recipe for laughs for audiences of The Sunshine Boys at The Court Theatre. Michael Keir-Morrissey and Geoffrey Heath are seasoned veterans of the stage with many professional productions under their respective belts. Their wealth of experience gives this production of Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys an authenticity that makes the comedy all the more successful.
The Sunshine Boys by Neil Simon runs at The Court Theatre in Christchurch until 4 September 2010.