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Tons of Money

Published Wednesday 28 January 2009 at 11:00 by Allen Saddler

Tons Of Money was the first off a string of Aldwych farces and the only, but one, not written by Ben Travers. The original version featured the marvellously inventive Ralph Lynn and other Aldwych regulars. For this version Alan Ayckbourn has shaken of the dust and ironed out the creases.

Farce relies on spot-on timing, team work and dogged conviction that a pile up of illogical logicalities must make sense. Evans was a variety sketch performer and more than a hint of the form is retained in the script. Dead pan Caroline Langrishe is the author of the mad brain schemes to retain a fortune in the family. Mark Curry is the hapless victim. Of course all this needs some setting up before farce takes over and the second act is naturally funnier than the first.

What distinguishes Ton of Money is the frantic nonsensical word play - glorious nonsense.

Christopher Timothy is the crafty butler and Finty Williams his dumb accomplice. Lysette Anthony is the flirtatious friend and Eric Richard the bemused solicitor. Janet Henfrey is the deaf aunt and Keith Clifford the rustic gardener.

This is a period piece, lovingly re-created by a new team of farceurs.

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