Of all sporting activities, what has created more pushback by surrounding neighbors than pickleball because of the constant loud thwacking of solid paddles to hard plastic balls?  Playwright (and better known as actor) Jeff Daniels’ play about the ascendent sport opens with an unseen exchange of a mother begging pickleballers to desist for five minutes so that her child can fall asleep.  In response to the plea that the play is disturbing the mother’s peace, the players continue, with the argument that she is disturbing their peace!

In a sense, I feel like the mother being in the minority trying to stop a relentless wave.  At opening night, there was rollicking laughter throughout, but others of us were less impressed.  To Hillbarn’s credit, it filled the house for opening, though perhaps with ringers.  In Executive Artistic Director Steve Muterspaugh’s introduction, he surveyed the audience, and it seemed that around half were active pickleball players who had played in the last three days, mostly on that very Friday.  This is unlike many ethnic or special interest plays I’ve seen that haven’t drawn in the group reflected in the play, so let’s hope some of these sportspeople get the theater bug.

Six characters drive the action of Pickleball, which takes place at the pickleball courts.  Like many comedies (and this is a raucous farce), there is another level of meaning that can be extracted from the script.  However, Pickleball really appeals to those liking the broadest comedy and particularly to those who can see characterizations and situations that resonate with their experience……

Per agreement with Talkin’ Broadway, my complete reviews of South Bay and Peninsula theater for the remainder of the year will appear in full on its site. Please continue at:

https://www.talkinbroadway.com/page/regional/sanjose/sj334.html

Pickleball, written by Jeff Daniels, is produced by Hillbarn Theatre and plays on its stage at 1285 East Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City, CA through September 13, 2026.