Theatre and Dance Reviews

This is farce, pure and simple, nothing more and nothing less. It's written by Michael Cooney, son of the legendary farce master Ray. He's obviously picked up loads of tips from dad and then added to them to extract every ounce of confusion from the tale, in a comedy that slowly turns increasingly more ridiculous and bizarre!

The show centres around Eric Swan (David Callister) who has been defrauding the DSS for two years by claiming benefit for an army of fictitious lodgers, all of whom suffer from a variety of ailments for which they can claim, and who have extended families with similar ailments!

His wife Linda (Michelle Morris) is oblivious to all this and as the play begins, Eric finds that it is all getting too complicated, but as he tries to extricate himself by killing off his make-believe tenants, he just ends up being given more and more benefits - social comment here maybe??!

Cash on Delivery

He first tells the Council that one of his creations, Norman Bassett has died but he is interrupted by the real life Norman Bassett (Kevin Kennedy) who really is Eric's lodger, but doesn't know that that Eric is claiming benefits in his name. Then the DSS Inspector Mr Jenkins (Geoffrey Davies) turns up to see another one of the fictitious claimants and Norman gets sucked into Eric's web of deceit and, as my favourite all-encompassing theatrical descriptions goes - "chaos ensues"! Confused - you will be!

There's lies, lies and more lies, people getting knocked out, men without their trousers, mis-timings, mistaken identities, cross dressing and dead bodies. You couldn't possible pack anymore in - in fact, midway through the second half I wanted to shout "STOP - no more PLEASE" as my brain simply couldn't take it! But there's no denying it is ingeniously constructed and how Cooney ever remembered who had done what to whom and with what - I have no idea!

David Callister's Swann is quite a tour de force of timing and slapstick and in Kevin Kennedy he found a great partner! Kennedy is a revelation. We saw his comic possibilities as "Curly" Watts in Coronation Street but is this he really comes into his own - with wonderful comic timing and facial expressions.

Joining the fun are are Melvyn Hayes, who puts in a terrifically energetic performance as Uncle George, while Geoffrey Davies plays benefit inspector Mr Jenkins with just the right amount of seriousness amidst the melee, and Barry Howard's legendary eye rolls are perfect for the supercilious undertaker Mr Forbright.
  
If this is your thing, and it did seem to be for most of the audience, then you will love each nuance, twist and turn. I'm off to lie in a darkened room!