Cash on Delivery review

Theatre correspondent's note:- having been to Friday's performance I can thoroughly recommend this as worth a visit. Tickets for the Matinee and Evening performance can be bought for £10 at the door (afternoon tea optional) and you can always record the Eurovision Song contest to watch later (again, optional!). There was a warm welcome to Helen Katterloher (casualty during the panto) when she came onstage and loud intakes of breath when she stood on a chair!

Review: Dress Rehearsal of Cash On Delivery! Audlem Theatre Company

Audlem Theatre Company's dress rehearsal of Cash On Delivery! was a masterclass in farce, bursting with energy, quick-fire dialogue, and brilliantly absurd scenarios. Even with a small preview audience, the laughter rolled throughout the evening and with a packed house this weekend, the atmosphere will be nothing short of electric.

Director Sarah Shilito has expertly drawn out the chaos at the heart of Michael Cooney s script, guiding a talented cast through a labyrinth of lies, disguises, and increasingly desperate cover-ups. Trevor Hough leads the mayhem with effortless comic timing as Eric Swan, ably supported by Paul Cass as the hapless Norman Basset. Their scenes together are a highlight, blending slapstick with sheer panic to brilliant effect.

Without giving too much away because half the joy is in the mounting surprises particular highlights include a brilliantly executed scene involving a stretcher (which threatens to steal the whole show), the recurring gag of Dr Chapman (Amelia Payne) being repeatedly and insistently told to sit down, and the delightful escalation of Mr Jenkins (David Davenport) steady descent into inebriation as the second half unfolds.

The whole cast delivers with commitment and comic precision, from Helen Katterloher s sharply played Linda Swan to Emma Richardson s officious Ms Cowper, and the delightfully tangled supporting roles played by Lou Ryan, Laurence Shilito, John Dixon, and Ellie O Grady.

With performances on Friday 16th May (evening) and Saturday 17th May (matinee and evening), there s still time to grab tickets. You ll be in for a laugh-a-minute night out, full of misunderstandings, mistaken identities, and mayhem in the best possible way.

Don t miss it!

James Preston

Tickets for all three shows are still available from Williams of Audlem (cash only) or

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/audlem-theatre-company