Rotorua Little Theatre Society’s Funny Money cast. Back row: Kim Chapman Hay (left), Martin Hampson, Paul Van Miert, Greg Brimmer (role since taken over by Richard Rugg), Tim Eardly. Front row: Jo-Ann Wilson, Alasdair Hay, Belinda Herbert. Photo / Willi Werner
Rotorua Little Theatre Society’s Funny Money cast. Back row: Kim Chapman Hay (left), Martin Hampson, Paul Van Miert, Greg Brimmer (role since taken over by Richard Rugg), Tim Eardly. Front row: Jo-Ann Wilson, Alasdair Hay, Belinda Herbert. Photo / Willi Werner
What would you do if you mistakenly picked up the wrong briefcase on the London underground train and found £735,000 in it?
The quandary facing middle-class accountant Henry Perkins takes centre stage in the Rotorua Little Theatre Society’s first play of the year – Funny Money by Ray Cooney.
Setin London in the 1970s, the play takes place in the living room of Henry and Jean Perkins (Alasdair Hay and Jo-Ann Wilson) where they have an orange velour sofa, green wallpaper, a heavily used liquor cabinet, and a classic dial telephone that doesn’t seem to stop ringing.
On the evening of his 48th birthday, Henry returns home from work shortly before the couple’s friends, Vic and Betty Johnson (Tim Eardly and Belinda Herbert) are due to arrive for dinner.
But following his fortuitous find and adamant he doesn’t need to return to work on Monday, Henry immediately calls British Airways to book a flight departing that night “anywhere” that doesn’t require a visa.
He lists off several European countries before the agent tells him there is a flight to Barcelona that evening.
Henry asks for two first-class tickets and says he will pay cash at the airport, then promptly orders a taxi.
Jean, however, isn’t keen on any kind of one-way flight that her husband is suggesting and becomes highly stressed at the situation – which is heightened by the imminent arrival of two police officers (Paul Van Miert and Richard Rugg).
She is also startled by her formerly “wimp” husband showing off a previously unseen sense of vigour and confidence as he plans their new life with cash worth £10,000,000 in today’s money.
As the play progresses, the porkies mount and new characters are invented as they aim to cover up their lucrative discovery and intention of fleeing the country.
The Funny Money cast. Back row: Kim Chapman Hay (left), Paul Van Miert, Greg Brimmer (role since taken over by Richard Rugg). Front row: Martin Hampson, Belinda Herbert, Alasdair Hay, Jo-Ann Wilson, Tim Eardly. Photo / Willi Werner
Directed by Jenny Hotch, the play elicits many laughs from the audience thanks to the sarcasm and candour of the characters’ dialogue and innuendo.
There were some opening-night jitters, with a few side-of-stage prompts, but they didn’t detract from the enjoyment of the play for the most part.
It also fittingly opens and closes with Abba’s 1976 song Money, Money, Money.
