Wednesday 11th July
by Sally Bryant
Farce has to be fast and - well,really farcial and this one's got the lot.
The central character is in an implausible siyuation, about to get worse, and of course his wife doesn't know.
As the action romps away everyone is confused, apart from Eric Swan who is to blame for the whole mess and he can hardly hold it together. Before long there is a 'corpse' who refuses to lie down and die, a comedy chase and a man in a dress - as I said, it's all there!
Cash On Delivery is written by Michael Cooney, son of master playwright Ray, who obviously inherited the funny gene.
The plot is simple but convoluted, as the genre dictates - Eric Swan has lost his job but he has hidden this from his wife and is putting money in the bank by conning the department of Social Security. He is claiming every benefit in the book for a crowd of fictitious lodgers, but it all goes horribly wrong when an inspector calls...
The role of Eric Swan is played by Rikki Lawton, fresh out of university with a first in acting and a very bright light indeed. Even if farce isn't your favourite, it's impossible to keep straight-faced if the pace is right and Rikki goes for it like a greyhound out of the trap from the first line.
His energy and ability to squeeze every drop of humour from every word meant the whole first-night audience was laughing within minutes of 'curtain-up' - and they didn't stop until the end.
The newcomer's performance in this production is perfectly matched by the experienced comedy timing of Nick Wilton, who plays hapless lodger Norman Bassett. He has the consummate face for farce and had the audience in stitches time and time again, often with just an expression.
Michael Kirk also plays a comedy blinder as Uncle George, and deserves a round of applause for his physical fitness alone.
In fact there isn't a weak link in this chain of hilarious disasters. Anita Graham is spot on as Sally Chessington, the well-meaning but vacant bereavement counsellor and Mill regular Royce Mills excels as slightly-too-smiley-and-blissfully-unaware undertaker Mr Forbright.
And my award for the side-splitting scene of the night goes to Lawton and Felicity Duncan, whose character Ms Cowper makes any decent Miss Trunchbull pale into insignificance. I can't give away any more but to say the level is 'Carry On', with a touch of the playground, and everyone of every age was sobbing with laughter - my 18-year-old couldn't breathe or see for a good five minutes.
Cash On Delivery certainly delivers a good night out. The time is more than right for a farce resurgence amid gloomy news of floundering economies and enless rain - go on, take a seat for a really good laugh. I challenge you to remain po-faced through this one.
Justin's House 
EastEnders 06/09/12
by David Seidler 
