Hitting cricket for six with humour
TO SOME Englishmen cricket is more than an institution: it is. as rugby is to the Welsh, a religion. Unlike Archbishop Lefebvre, who believes it to he his mission to preserve the old institutions of the Church, his near-namesake Robin Lefevre, shows little respect for the .English variety of institution.
The theatrical Lefevre has directed a new comedy, "Outside Edge", at the Queens Theatre. This new play by Robert Harris does not require any appreciation of, or even acquaintance with.
cricket. Lven Foreigners will enjoy the particular brand of English humour, hut it should definitely he avoided by cricket enthusiasts. The play might evoke all kinds of doubts which if entertained, even momentarily, by cricketers might put them off their stroke.
The action of the play takes place in the cricket pavilion and it more than rivals the action between the wickets. It would be frivolous to describe the action of the players — the theatrical and the cricketing variety — as wicked. but the author understandably scores on stage rather than on the pitch off-stage. His dialogue is bowled accurately and the on-stage play of the team not only pleases but amuses the spectators.
Richard Harris shows that the female off-spin in the pavilion can provide more amusement than the ladies do who have now actually invaded the sacred crease. Each member of the stage team achieves a satisfactory score, but it is left to Maureen Lipman to make the century.
J.K.
P Michael Ffinch — writer in residence
Mr Michael Flinch has been appointed writer in residence for Cumbria County Library. He has published several volumes of poetry. including "Voices round a Starand "The Beckwalker".
In the fifties and sixties he taught at St Richard of Chichester School, Camden Town. and Worth Abbey School, Sussex. More recently he has written for radio, with "The Poetry of Hilaire Belloc" and the 1974 nativity play for schools, "The Stable and the Star".
Mr 1:finch's new job will mean his giving readings in towns all over Cumbria and being available in different libraries for C onsultation.