REVIEW: Funny Money at the Mill at Sonning

It was always going to be a tough call for all involved, to get through this opening night performance, only just over an hour after the announcement of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Before the show began, a declaration from the Royal household, stating that all theatre shows were able to continue, was read out as cast and crew assembled on the stage, and along with the audience, stood for a two-minutes silence, followed by the National Anthem.  Then in true theatrical fashion, the show went on.

Written by the master of British farce, Ray Cooney, ‘Funny Money’ had all the ingredients of this classic style of theatre, which is primarily confusion, chaos and lots of laughs.

In this case, it’s when bored accountant Henry Perkins picks up the wrong briefcase on the way home from work. A briefcase that instead of containing his cheese and chutney sandwiches, is packed with 1.5 million pounds, that the fun starts and propels along at a cracking pace.

An excellent cast led by an inexhaustible Steven Pinder, as Henry, lifted the atmosphere within the theatre, as in true farce style, befuddled characters flitted from rooms to rooms, police and gangsters got involved, and an equally bewildered taxi driver regularly added to the cacophony of one-liners and crazy over the top mayhem.

Farce may not be everyone's cup of tea, I personally love it, but on this sad and historic evening, it proved that laughter can be the best tonic in some situations. It was well known that Her Majesty did have a great sense of humour, and unlike her great-great grandmother, I’d like to think that ‘Funny Money’ would have certainly amused her.

Funny Money is at the Mill at Sonning until November 5. Click here for more details.