Flagons & Foxtrots

Written by Alison Quigan and Ross Gumbley
Directed by Kathleen Burns

A nostalgic homegrown comedy that guarantees a mix of laughter and tears. Set in 1960s Ohoka, Canterbury, Flagons and Foxtrots follow the trials and tribulations of a young group trying to achieve their dreams against the background of the Saturday night dance hall scene.

Whilst Jill is waiting for her boyfriend, Jack, to pop the big question, her best friend Rita is the one with the big secret.

This should be familiar territory for those that were teenagers in 1964. There is plenty of music of the time well played. But the story has been done before. Boy meets girls, gets one of them pregnant. Through circumstance and misfortune misunderstandings arise and humour is extracted. At first if feels like a character driven comedy. But there are parts when is really goes for the farce genre. To the extent that it was at times unclear that the writers intended. They should have pushed everything into the farce zone and gon all out for the zany and silly.

Unfortunately the ending was marred by the insistence of bringing audience members on stage. Where is should have been ramping up to  a big finish, it felt a little flat.

But despite reservations, it was an entertaining night out.