Ray Cooney's comedy classic comes to Southwick

The Southwick amateur dramatics group is hoping to repeat that success with its next production, Funny Money, at the Barn Theatre from June 18 to 21.

It follows their hit shows Caught in the Net in March 2012 and Run for your Wife in December 1994, both Cooney classics.

Directed by John Garland, the play sees middle-aged Henry Perkins getting into trouble when he accidentally gets his hands on thousands of pounds.

He comes home with the wrong briefcase – it contains £735,000 (he counted it in the pub).

Henry wants to go to Barcelona, but his wife has invited friends round for his birthday.

Meanwhile, the police are on his trail.

Bent copper Davenport, who has followed Henry home from the pub, and straight copper Slater, who has found a dead man holding Henry’s real briefcase.

Henry’s increasingly inept attempts to keep the policemen apart and catch his taxi to the airport leads to the invention of a whole new family in Australia and all manner of misunderstandings as his family and friends are drawn into his web of deception.

Who will finally agree to join him in the taxi to a new life – and will they escape with the money before ‘Mr Big’ arrives?

The cast list features Andrea Barker, Mark Best, Diane Robinson, Dan Dryer, Ian Churchill, Tony Brownings, H Reeves and John Garland.

Funny Money runs at the Barn Theatre, in Southwick Community Centre, Southwick Street, Southwick, from June 18 to 21 at 7.45pm daily.

Tickets are £11. For information and booking, visit www.wicktheatre.co.uk or call the box office on 01273 597094.

n The company’s 250th production will be The Cherry Orchard, directed by Bob Ryder.

It will honour the play’s original setting, Russia around 1900.

Chekhov’s final play, it will be performed at the Barn Theatre from September 24 to 27.