Cash on Delivery - Review 1

Cash on Delivery
Published Friday 29 June 2012 by Sheila Tracy

Michael Cooney, who now lives and works in Los Angeles and has several film scripts to his credit, has certainly inherited his father’s talent for writing, having collaborated with Ray Cooney on the hit comedy Tom, Dick and Harry.

When he wrote Cash on Delivery in the mid-1990s it became a big hit in Oslo, to his amazement. Hardly surprising as I spent the first act of this play about a social security scam, mopping up tears of mirth, rating it as one of the most hilarious 60 minutes I have had the good fortune to see on stage.

Recently graduated Rikki Lawton gives an impressive performance as the young landlord, supposedly suffering from gout, playing the social security system for all it’s worth. With the help of Nick Wilton as his lodger, he is up to every trick in the book including a dead body, which proves to be very much alive. Wilton is custom-made for his role and is superb. All is well until the man from the Department of Social Security office arrives with a list of 25 different applications to be signed for, a role played with gusto by Eric Carte. News of a death in the house sees a bereavement counsellor, beautifully played by Anita Graham, introduced to the proceedings.

The star cast of 10 includes another Mill favourite, Royce Mills, with the director Brian Godfrey doubling in a minor role.

Cash on Delivery delivered

3 down, 52 to go. After a hectic two weeks rehearsal we opened with a matinee at 2.15 on Thursday, followed by a great first night in the evening to a packed house (which included the writer, Michael Cooney and proud father, Ray)

Cash on Delivery. Sonning.

Off to Sonning this afternoon to start rehearsals for Cash on Delivery (by Michael Cooney) tomorrow morning. I did the play at The Whitehall Theatre (now Trafalgar Studios) back in 1996;

it was the first time I worked with Ray Cooney, who directed. Brian Godfrey was Assistant Director then and he's directing this time round, as well as playing one of the parts. Anita Graham was with me in the West End and she is reprising her role too.

This time round my wife, Lynette McMorrough,  joins us, as well as some other mates -

Michael Kirk, Eric Carte, Helen Armes and Royce Mills (who I last worked with in The Sloane Ranger Revue at The Duchess Theatre way, way back in 1985). 

Click here to go to Mill at Sonning website:  Mill at Sonning Website

Doctors. Friday June 8th.

I was in Doctors on Friday.

Here's a link to the programme on BBC iplayer: Doctors

Panto update

I've just realised I haven't updated my Panto news for a while, so here we go.

I can now confirm that this year I am back with UK Productions

and will be appearing in Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs

at The Assembly Hall Theatre in Tunbridge Wells.

Click here to go to theatre website:  www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

Justin's House

I spent a very happy three days up in Manchester last week recording an episode of the CBeebies programme Justin's House; the show was recorded in front of a live audience of screaming 4-6 year olds and was great fun to do.
It was lovely working with Justin Fletcher and Steven Kynman, and to meet up with old BBC friends from the days of Playaway and Fast Forward.