Studio Theatre 
Studio Theatre, Salisbury
Susanna Greenwood 
25 March 2026
Richard Harris’ Outside Edge, following an amateur cricket team and their disordered private lives, has been doing the rounds for decades now and remains seemingly as popular today. I note that this is one of three productions occurring locally this Spring.
As we enter the auditorium, we are greeted by a gentle, relaxing soundscape of birdsong and nature. The beautifully crafted, high-quality set instantly brings the cricket clubhouse to life and, within the studio environment, creates an almost interactive feel for the audience.
This peace and tranquillity is quickly broken with the entrances of Roger and Miriam. Roger, frantic and stressed, is the cricket club captain, who seems ill-equipped for the responsibility of his position. In contrast, Miriam, his wife, is a steady doer, always in the background: cleaning, shopping, managing Roger’s chaos, and most importantly, the star tea maker. Their relationship seems to reflect one of the play’s central themes; the balance of opposing forces – yin and yang – that complement and support each other. The fragility and resilience of marriage, blending moments of drama and comedy to drive the narrative.
We are soon introduced to a myriad of characters that make up the players and their suffering wives. With, thankfully, no actual cricket to observe during the play, we instead follow the tangled lives of these club members. There is clearly more drama (and comedy!) off the field than on it, with lies, deceit, misplaced love, and broken communication creating a frisson of tension alongside playful frolics.
Emma Young’s performance as the calm and efficient Miriam is understated and honest. She brings a light, believable touch to the part, and her growing dissatisfaction with her obsessive husband, as the play’s pace increases in Act 2, is played well. Similarly, Kris Hamilton-Brain gives a strong performance as Roger. We see him transcend from ignorant, incompetent club captain to obsessive, angry player, and he does this convincingly. Paul Chalmers as Dennis is delightfully slimy and charming in equal measure. He physically inhabits the role brilliantly and is joyfully cringeworthy to watch.
My favourite sparring duo was the charismatic Maggie and Kevin, played brilliantly by Olivia Dutson and Julian Feria. Olivia’s performance was so magnetic that I found myself watching her act even when the focus of action was elsewhere—for example, her simple reactions to reading the paper in one scene. Her character never faltered. Brick-laying, dart-throwing Maggie is a rough diamond of a girl, and in many ways the only likeable and inspirational character in the piece. She is true to her man and shows genuine care and affection, but at the same time, she is an independent force of nature. Olivia’s performance is superb, completely engaging, and delivers much of the humour.
Equally, I was not surprised to read Julian Feria’s acting credentials in the programme, as his performance as Kevin is so authentic and relatable. His entrance brought a surge of energy immediately to the stage, and like Olivia, he was often a scene-stealer. Their confident rapport and scenes together were some of my favourite moments of the play.
Matt Hodge achieves the frazzled and wrought persona of Bob, displaying his divided loyalties. Initially, in his early scenes, I found him a little hard to hear, but this improved as the drama and tension increased. Sarah Derry as the superficial Ginnie and Terry D’Onofrio as the arrogant Alex gave convincing performances. I was slightly bemused by the character of Sharon, who appeared to resemble Little Bo Peep, missing her sheep. Martha-Rose McKeown had some lovely facial expressions and good comic timing in the bathroom scene, but there were other occasions when I found the character distracting.
Whilst on the surface this is a comedic set piece, performed today it may provoke debate and conversation on gender stereotypes. It is not exactly Louis Theroux, given its somewhat dated tone and language. The male cricket team is the focus, and their lives drive the plot, while the female characters are initially framed in relation to their ‘men’. However, as the play unfolds, the women are shown to be more competent, and much of the humour comes from mocking the men at the centre of the piece.
Putting gender politics aside, you don’t have to be a cricket fan to enjoy this show. I am sure everyone will relate to the different personas on display within the group dynamics and hobbyist environment. As director Colin Hayman summarises in the programme, and I would concur, this is an enjoyable couple of hours’ escape!
