Ken Ludwig’s website says that he may well be the most performed playwright of his generation, and the prolific comic writer has been frequently been performed in the Quad Cities, most at Playcrafters in Moline, Circa ’21 in Rock Island, and Richmond Hill in Geneseo.

He has had six productions on Broadway and eight in London’s West End. Ludwig’s 34 plays and musicals are staged throughout the U.S. and around the world every night of the year. They have been produced in over 20 languages in more than 30 countries, and many have become standards of the American repertoire.

Like Neil Simon, you’re pretty much guaranteed of a good time in a Ken Ludwig show, with healthy doses of heart and laughs and “A Fox on the Fairway” – the current crazy, adorable production by Richmond Hill Players – is no exception.

David Beeson and Samuel Carrington.

The tremendously talented, enthusiastic cast is comprised of Jackie Patterson (Geneseo), David Beeson and Jessica Moore (Kewanee); Sarah Carrington and Samuel Carrington (Galesburg); and David Shaffer (Moline).

Tom Morrow (Rock Island) directs the wacky show, returning after a seven-year hiatus from the Geneseo Barn Theater. His other Richmond Hill directing credits include “Curse of an Aching Heart,” “Death Takes a Holiday,” “Inherit the Wind” and Ludwig’s “Moon Over Buffalo.”

A tribute to the English farces of the 1930s and ’40s, “A Fox on the Fairway” takes audiences on a riotous ride that recalls classics of the Marx Brothers, according to a play synopsis. Set amid the leafy greens of Quail Valley Country Club (which we never see), the story unfolds on the day Quail Valley faces its oldest rival, nearby Crouching Squirrel Golf and Racquet Club, for the golf tournament of the decade (which they have lost for five straight years).

Samuel Carrington and Jessica Moore.

Along the way, these high strung arch-rivals get entangled in wagers, injuries, and romances, with manic mayhem as they do whatever it takes to save face, win their bets and get their lives in order.

The loudest, main protagonists are the bitter rivals, Henry Bingham (Carrington) and Dickie Bell (Beeson), heads of Quail Valley and Crouching Squirrel, respectively. Dickie is loud without even saying a word, as his ugly sweater and later a jacket are screamingly colorful. Then Beeson has a booming, obnoxious laugh and really gets under Carrington’s skin.

David Beeson and Jackie Patterson.

Carrington is a pure joy to watch as the eternally frustrated Bingham, who faces the loss of his job and a lot of money (to Dickie) if his club loses the tournament. He is a maestro of anger and later we revel with him in a flirty scene with Moore, who is Dickie’s willowy, cynical ex, Pamela. They get drunk and he confesses his love for her, not realizing that his mic is on, and it’s being broadcast on the course.

The most relatable couple in the story is the youngest, Justin (Shaffer) – who is newly hired at Quail Valley – and Louise (Sarah Carrington), who also works there. They are both nervous and right for each other, but she accidentally flushes her engagement ring down the toilet, a key plot point. Justin becomes the club’s player against a favored opponent, and the golf action is all off-stage (while some voice-over narration is provided).

Sarah Carringgton and Jessica Moore.

RHP veteran Jackie Patterson is a consistent delight as Muriel, Henry’s long-suffering wife whose antique shop gets wrapped up into the men’s tournament bet, and a $10,000 vase of hers also gets entangled in the story. Early on, Bingham tells Pamela that Muriel is dead, and Patterson makes her first entrance after overhearing that, and the moment of her fury is priceless. The four main adults here are all strong-willed characters.

Like chess pieces, Ludwig meticulously places each role in ever-shifting positions, until each is exactly where they are meant to be (it’s not clear, however, who is the “fox” in this story). Samuel Carrington and Jessica Moore do the most with their funny, frazzled roles and their commitment and energy are impressive.

“A Fox on the Fairway” continues at Richmond Hill, 7:30 p.m. this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $12, available at 309-944-2244, or rhplayers.com.

Samuel Carrington and Jessica Moore.

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Jonathan Turner

Jonathan Turner -- who has called the Quad Cities home since 1995 -- has decades of experience as a professional journalist and pianist. His experience writing for daily newspapers, public radio and local TV encompasses a wide range of subjects, including the arts, politics, education, economic development, historic preservation, business, and tourism.

Jonathan most loves writing about music and the arts (which he now does as a freelancer for the River Cities Reader and Visit Quad Cities). He has a passion for accompanying musicals, singers, choirs and instrumentalists, including playing for QC Music Guild's 2023 productions of RENT and SWEENEY TODD. He is assistant music director and accompanist for the spring 2025 Music Guild show, ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE. He wrote an original musical based on The Book of Job, which premiered at Playcrafters in 2010. Jonathan penned a 175-page history book about downtown Davenport, that was published by The History Press in 2016, and a travel guide about the QC published by Reedy Press in 2022.