Wadhurst Dramatic Club
Dario Fo’s farce
Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay?
Wadhurst Commemoration Hall
Thursday May 2017
Director: Grainne Murphy

Five actors, eight characters taking an ever popular Fo comedic script tinged with controversy and satire creating a hysterical, fast moving production. When frustration is at breaking point with inflation at an all-time high, struggling to survive wife Antonia leads a revolt in the local supermarket and loots the building and together with her friend Margherita try to hide the goods before their respective husbands and the police catch up with them. The play was originally set in Milan but this production is moved to a block of flats in London with accents to match. Concealing the goods with the aid of their ponchos, miracle confinements are used to fool hubbies and a sceptical police officer. The Pope, the pill, the feast of St Eulalia the patron saint of fertility all blamed for the pregnancies! The events that ensue lead to stashing the loot under the sofa, in cupboards, in the shed on Dad’s allotment, the dubious making of soup with strange ingredients, the eating of dog food, hiding in coffins, escaping the cuffs of ‘little red book’ officer, when Giovanni and Luigi are looting from a conveniently located jack-knifed lorry.  Sounds ludicrous and I suppose it is, but it’s an amazingly funny comedy with real pathos that is both fast and furious and contains some choice language.

A basic single folded card A5 programme was created giving clear information we required for which donations were suggested.  F of H was led by Jan and her helpers well spotted in their blue waistcoats, with particular mention of her artistic bill of fare entitled Can’t Pay? Must Pay? Tables were laid up for eight places set at angles with crisps and olives to nibble, olives taking on another meaning – particularly those in brine! By the sound of laughter, the play was well received although the audience was small being opening night and a very wet one too. 

It was good to see the wonderfully clever Colin and Nance present to see the action play out of their excellent set. The sitting room/kitchen walls were split pale lilac and pale green with entrance door and curtained open window for a well-executed unusual police arrival, keeping my fingers crossed the set would remain in place and it did. The kitchen area had netted curtains at the window and a cupboard door useful for hiding coffins.  Well dressed with suitable furniture including sofa, tall filled fridge, gateleg table with cloth set, photos on the walls, plenty of flowers, foliage, peddle bin, kettle broom etc. a good kitchen unit with hob for the pan of millet and rabbit head soup. Interesting front of stage flats – one with political signs and slogans the other designated to food matters beautifully illustrated. Central steps into the auditorium gave leave for business through and round the hall, including several thrown sacks, a bicycle, and a gun chase!
Costumes remained throughout the action with Antonia and Margherita mainly sporting their ponchos creating great bumps. Giovanni in his overalls and Luigi track suit bottoms. Multi-tasking Russ Kirton started as police Sergeant in uniform plus flat hat, into moustached, collar and tie, long raincoat and trilby as the Inspector who looked rather like the Undertaker without the moustache in tail coat and topper and then behold Dad elderly gentleman looked like them too! Great death scene and very funny rising abdomen brilliantly executed by Amanda and her adaptable ‘gas lighter’.

Grainne overseeing this cast as Director must have had such fun in devising such a fast-moving piece  How did you all keep straight faces? Antonia was busily played by Amanda Dann who didn’t stop, with huge amounts of scripts to digest and deliver. Charlie King as her supportive friend Margherita did a splendid job of her ‘ohs’ and ‘ahs’ during her concealed labour and what interesting breaking of waters! Great misunderstanding episodes from both the husbands Giovanni played by Mike Reeves and Patrick Cotter as Luigi again with huge amounts to learn and execute Russ was something else - changing characters, exhaustive business and some great one liners! The pace during the first act was swift but dragged a little during the political banter during the second act, but for a first night was commendable work from you all.  John B was responsible for the lighting cues and sound rushing from one end of the board to the other, and together with a brilliant behind the scenes team and almost redundant prompt Judy, ‘Can’t pay? Won’t Pay’ did!

A shortened version of this review will appear on the national website shortly.

Anne Lawson
Regional Representative
NODA SE
District 3

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