The play:Cash on Delivery, a
quintessential British farce by Michael Cooney loaded with
loony characters who make so many entrances and exits through
the set’s four doors that the whole affair often looks like
a human pinball machine.
The rub: Landlord Eric Swan (Travis Cook)
is defrauding the British government by accepting various
types of financial support for former and fictitious boarders.
The scheme seems to be on the verge of collapse when
bureaucrats Mr. Jenkins (Burl Proctor) and Ms. Cowper (Deborah
Dennard) show up to see where all the checks are going.
The pros: Director B.J. Cleveland has done
a superb job of preparing his all-amateur cast. The pace is as
manic as it needs to be in this comedy of confusion, and the
often heavy-handed jokes are played for all they are worth
without going too far over the top with the material. It’s
like watching an episode of The Benny Hill Show played
live (including just a bit of naughtiness).
The cons: Very few. After his initial
lines, Proctor completely forgot he was British in the Sunday
matinee seen for this review.
Best reason to go: An excellent
performance by Carter Frost as Norman McDonald, a tenant who
has been unwittingly roped into Swan’s plan and is
hilariously drowning in panic. Michael Craig Rains does a fine
job with the small role of Dr. Chapman. And Rebecca Brown as
Sally Chessington is an ideal eye-candy ingenue.
THE COLUMN
REVIEWED BY: Esther Coughey
ASSOCIATE THEATER CRITIC for John Garcia's THE COLUMN
And they're off and running. On opening night, from the moment
the curtain rises, this production is a horse race with
playwright Michael Cooney's (son of legendary Farce-Master Ray
Cooney) dialogue galloping from the actor's tongues. Cooney is
clearly a chip off the old block, as he utilizes tips from dear
old Dad, and then furthers them to extract every ounce of
turmoil from the yarn. It's everything one expects from a
British Farce: Lies, lies and more lies, banging doors, people
getting knocked out, mistaken identities, dead bodies (doesn't
anyone check vital signs in a Farce?), insidiously funny
characters, and an inventive and wily lead actor who plays
maestro to the mayhem.
The premise for Cash On Delivery is simple; Eric Swan – played
with "tour-de-farce" comic timing by Travis Cook –
lost his job two years ago and has since been making ends meet
by cheating the Social Security system and claiming benefits for
a host of fictitious tenants. Things are getting out of hand and
Swan wants out. The situation begins to unravel when Mr. Jenkins
(Burl Proctor) shows up in need of the signature of both Eric
Swan and his non-existent tenant, Rupert Thompson. Clearly, Eric
can't play both people, so someone new is brought in, his real
tenant, Norman McDonald (Carter Frost). Norman wants no part in
the shenanigans, but like all Farces the unwilling participants
are so much better than the willing ones, and as the
all-encompassing expression goes – "Chaos Ensues!"
Director BJ Cleveland has put together a stellar cast, and what
a revelation to partner Travis Cook and Carter Frost together.
But it is Carter Frost, as Norman McDonald, who deftly
eliminates any misconceptions about Norman being a supporting
character. Thrust into an impossible scenario and forced to make
sense of it all, Frost is hysterical, taking the role seriously,
and not as an excuse to ham it up.
Joining the fun is Kitt Hussey, who puts in a terrifically
energetic performance as Uncle George, while Burl Proctor
portrays Mr. Jenkins with the perfect blend of decorum amidst
the melee. Michael Craig Rains, as the confused Dr. Chapman, is
a treat, and Deborah Dennard, as the humorless old boss, is
divine. Not to be outdone is James Christjohn as the ghoulish
mortician, Heather Sherman as Norman's frantic fiancée, and
Staci Cook as Linda Swan. It's not easy playing the straight
role when everyone else gets to be so incredibly funny, however,
Staci Cook tackles it with grace. I would be re-miss if I didn't
mention Rebecca Brown's standout performance as Sally
Chessington. Brown delivers the most wonderful double-entendre
lines with such innocence, it leaves one feeling guilty for
assuming she meant anything other than she was going to
"lay Norman" in the bedroom.
Jack Hardaway's set design is exemplary, and the choice of blue
wall coloring infuses as much life into the show as do the
actors. The only fault I found - barely worth mentioning - was
the cringe-inducing volume of the telephone ring which forced
patrons around me to adjust their hearing aids – but this is
an easy fix.
Any show – or in this case Kentucky Derby - that has ABBA's
Money, Money, Money playing for pre-show music, and describes a
"heartless tart" as a delectable pudding, is a sure
bet in my book. Put your money on this new Sea Biscuit - Cash on
Delivery.
May the Farce be with you …
AUDIENCE FEEDBACK
I saw it & thought it was great! A
laugh a minute! Fast-paced...a great job by all.
-Judy Hart
It was the funniest thing Theatre Arlington has EVER done!
-Gaye LeBoutillier
Just wanted to thank you all for the best
show we've seen in years. Cash on Delivery was right up there
with Noises Off as among the best BritComs we've enjoyed.
-Ray & Karen Cartier
CASH ON DELIVERY runs through July 19, 2009
Thursdays @ 7:30 p.m.
Fridays & Saturdays @ 8 p.m.
Sundays @ 2 p.m. To
purchase tickets follow this link!
Daytime box office is
located at 316 W Main St, across the street from Theatre Arlington, in
downtown Arlington
