| Director's Note
The origins of farce are generally
accepted to be in French theatre but it
came into its own in Britain during the
1920's with the "Aldwych" farces and
with writers such as Ray Cooney and John
Chapman in the 1970's and 1980's. In
Cash on Delivery, Ray Cooney's
son Michael has continued this
tradition, writing very much in the
style of his old man! Farce is often
regarded as nothing more than highly
improbable plot situations, exaggerated
characters, mistaken identities and, of
course, lots of slapstick but just like
the Monty Python gang with their
"Ministry of Silly Walks", the best
farces always poke fun at some aspect of
the establishment, and in this play it
is the British welfare state and its
fictitious "Department of Social
Security" which is in the crosshairs.
Sit back, suspend your disbelief and
prepre to laugh! |