Henry Lawson Theatre Inc: Cash on Delivery - Review by Jessica Scopelliti

In times of financial hardship, when the “cost of living crisis” seems to have become the new normal rather than a short period of difficulty through which we must prevail, it is understandable that we may indulge in daydreams of get-rich-quick schemes, or even less socially acceptable ways of making a buck on the side — would anyone even know they were my feet in the pictures? Fantasising is one thing, but the tangled web of deception woven in Cash on Delivery pushes the boundaries of what you would consider, well, legal, and sees its cast embroiled in utter chaos.

Eric Swan (played by Henry Lawson Theatre’s favourite, Elliot Prophet, in his debut lead role) is the landlord of a household whose inhabitants have no knowledge of the ways in which he is using their identities for lucrative financial gain. This comedy of errors opens with Swan in the midst of his latest fraudulent intrigue, and Prophet’s quick-fire ripostes and amusing facial expressions — from coy to horrified within seconds — keep the audience engrossed throughout. What ensues is a farce of entrances and exits, mistaken identities and outrageously hilarious faux pas, disassembling Swan’s façade, which unravels at a pace that keeps you laughing as each new layer of deception is revealed.

The perplexing appearance of the upstairs tenant, Norman Bassett, only moments after we are told he is deceased, further intrigues.

Norman, played with refined comic timing and polished physical humour by Lesh Satchithanada, is thrust amongst the chaos of Swan’s orchestration, questioned by government official Mr Jenkins (played by Darren Gibson with great wit and impressive focus), interrogated by Mrs Linda Swan (whose screeching incredulity is delivered with vehemence by Kayla Austin), and completely entangled by Uncle George’s confusing involvement in the scheme. Actor Mark Prophet as Uncle George confounds the rest of the cast with his accidental appearances at the most inconvenient moments and his hilarious capacity for sustaining belief in slapstick sequences, befuddling one-liners and physical calamities that inspire riotous laughter from the audience.

An ensemble of familiar characters — the dotty social worker, an unobservant psychiatrist, the aloof undertaker and an appalled head of department — work together with polished back-and-forths to compound the action and bring the chaos to a head. Look out for Rebecca Fletcher as Brenda, the distraught girlfriend of Norman Bassett, who captivates with her wailing bewilderment and is utterly amusing despite her short time on stage. While the audience laughs raucously at ridiculous lines like, “She thinks I’m an out-of-work, recently bereaved, deaf piano tuner,” the actors maintain a steely focus with which director Ian Fletcher can be gratified.

While the stagecraft in some moments of the frenetic blocking in Act 2 could use refinement, the set design adds layers of meaning, extending the outside world of the play beyond just what we can see. There are some thrilling moments of dramatic irony that find various characters in helpless states, hearing revelations they don’t want to hear (while locked in cupboards) and knocks on doors they never expected! Ian Fletcher and his talented cast have brought to life a proper British play with many not-so-proper physical moments and one-liners in a whirlwind production that is frankly hilarious and has to be seen to be believed. Cash on Delivery is sure to generate at least a chuckle from even the most stoic viewers amongst us — get your tickets before they sell out!