Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay!

by Dario Fo

performed by The Dukes Youth Theatre
 at DT3, directed by Rob Salmon
reviewed by Jane Sunderland
Read an exclusive interview with young actor
Daisy Whalley below

Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay! is a political farce, the humour of which lies in its witty, fast-paced dialogue and in particular the repartee between the different characters. Of course, in performance this only works if the actors are up to it. Fortunately the cast of the Dukes Youth Theatre were able to bring it off with a bang in an energetic and extremely funny production. The audience loved it.

Titled by Dario Fo Non Si Paga? Non Si Paga!, and originally set in Italy in the economically-challenging 1970s, this play is about political activism by working men and women. The first half of the play contrasts a traditionally-minded husband (George, played by Brenainn Shackleton) with his more radically-minded wife Annie (Daisy Whalley) and an equally radically-minded workmate Len (Ben Simon). But when faced with redundancy George comes round to the way of thinking that workers do not, after all, reap the full fruit of their labours – and what is needed is direct action. The play is also about challenging traditional gender relations inside the home – and here Fo is funny, but much less bold, despite the fact that Annie gives George as good as she gets.

Adapted from the original English adaptation so that it is shorter, ‘cleaner’ and more Lancaster than Florence, the ‘plot’ of Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay! revolves round the wives Maggie (Stephanie Wilkinson) and Annie who attempt to conceal their supermarket thefts from their husbands and the law - first through Maggie’s sudden pregnancy and even more sudden labour pains, and then through Annie’s taking over of Maggie’s pregnancy through the gynaecological advance of a baby transplant (okay, you have to see it).

In addition to this George and Len are attempting to conceal sacks of flour, rice and sugar which have, yes, ‘fallen off a lorry’, from Annie and Maggie. But instrumental to all this is the wonderful and youngest member of the cast Lucas Button, who plays six roles – most importantly the sergeant and the detective inspector - and has twelve costume changes. His timing, absolutely key to successful farce, was impeccable. He managed to appear as one character, disappear, and reappear thirty seconds later as quite another – and much praise should be given to the unseen and silent stage managers who managed to make this happen.

This was an ambitious production for a Youth Theatre and all credit goes to Rob Salmon for having the vision to see that it could be done, and for working closely and intensively with these talented young actors to achieve it. Lucas Button, Brenainn Shackleton, Ben Simon, Daisy Whalley and Stephanie Wilkinson threw themselves into this production with understanding as well as energy.

It was a pleasure to watch the different contrasting pairings: Annie and George, George and Len, Annie and Maggie – whose spontaneous double-act creation of the Saint Eulalia fertility myth was a joy to behold. It’s a shame that this was the last performance of this production of Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay! The dialogue made me resolve to seek out the script (which doesn’t happen very often). But I would certainly go and see another production – if only to see George cooking millet soup flavoured with stolen frozen rabbit heads.

c. Jane Sunderland 17 December 2007

Useful links

Dario Fo

Review of another production of Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay!

Italy in the 1970s

Interview with Daisy Whalley,
- 'Annie' in Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay!

By Jane Sunderland

Jane: Daisy, what did you feel when you were asked to play Annie in Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay!

Daisy: Really excited to be a part of it and very privileged to have been picked. I also felt quite a bit of pressure to do well, seeing I was being trusted with such a demanding role.

Jane: Is this the biggest part you’ve ever had in a public performance?

Daisy: Definitely, it was a huge responsibility.

Jane: What were some of the most challenging things about this role?

Daisy: There were loads of lines, but I managed that quite well. This type of play is something I haven’t done before so it took me a while to get used to this type of acting and my character.

Jane: And what did you do to help you overcome those challenges?

Daisy: Just persevering and doing a bit of character exploration exercises with the rest of the cast and Rob [Salmon], the director.

Jane: Which scene did you enjoy playing most, and why?

Daisy: I enjoyed the ‘St Eulalia’ scene, which involved some slapstick and very comical moments. It was hilarious and extremely fun to perform.

Jane: And if someone who didn’t know the play at all asked you what it was about, what would you tell them?

Daisy: Annie and Maggie are caught packing stolen food into bags in their home by a police officer (played by Lucas Button) and have to make up one extravagant lie after another, until they end up convincing the police officer that he is pregnant and blind because of a curse set up by an imaginary saint.

Jane: How did playing Annie in Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay! help you develop as an actor?

Daisy: I think I have gained lots of new skills and definitely some more confidence.

Jane: Last question: what advice would you give to a young person like yourself who wants to act on the stage?

Daisy: Take every opportunity that comes up, you may never get another like it again.