Cash on Delivery is a madcap laugh filled comedy about a man committing benefits fraud on a massive scale.
Now playing at the lovely The Mill at Sonning Theatre right outside Reading, Cash on Delivery is just another one of many fabulous productions at The Mill where dinner is included with the show.
Photo Carla Joy Evans
The cast and script of Cash on Delivery really deliver the laughs with Eric Swan (Steven Pinder) along with Norman Bassett (James Bradshaw) doing a dizzying job of keeping track of all the scams. You see Unemployed Eric receives benefits for a lodger who left two years ago, but eventually he gets entitled to more benefits, and soon enough he starts inventing people to get more, but then the government comes over to his home to snoop around, so he has no choice but to involve his new lodger Norman, so pretty much all hell breaks loose for poor Eric. Meanwhile Eric’s wife (Natasha Gray) is clueless about the scams but thinks her husband is a cross dresser as it’s a scam him and his Uncle George (Michael Shaw) are involved in. Then more drama ensues in the house on the same day so the council sends an undertaker and social worker to drop by to assist – it’s all very looney and crazy and fun! But the cast of 10 beautifully (especially Pinder and Bradshaw) pull it off where they, and the energy and the plot, are very fast paced and extremely hilarious! Director Ron Aldridge and writer Ray Cooney really challenge the cast who rise to the occasion and provide many belly laughs for a wonderful farcical show!
Speaking of belly, it’s a beautiful dinner that comes with the price of the ticket for the show, and for this show I particularly recommend the homemade steak pie (a generous portion) or the herb crusted salmon. Top it off with the extremely generous bread and butter pudding or the pear and almond tart. Splurge on some wine and it all makes for a perfect afternoon or evening.