'Tons of Money' part of fest

Comedy's twists and turns take audience on a wild joyride

Published: Thursday, Jan. 25 2007 12:08 a.m. MST

George Anderson as Aubrey Henry Maitland Allington and Shona Kay as the scheming wife Louise Allington star in "Tons of Money."

James Arrington

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TONS OF MONEY; Ragan Theatre, Sorensen Center, UVSC campus; through Saturday, Feb. 3; 863-8797; running time: 1 hour 55 minutes with one 15-minute intermission

Playing Aubrey Allington, the hapless husband of a scheming wife, Louise, played by Shona Kay, he falls into a variety of hilarious predicaments as they attempt to hang on to an inheritance. The play is part of the Utah Valley State College Mini Farce Festival. The lead characters are bankrupt but continue to maintain an extravagant lifestyle as they avoid paying their bills.

When they inherit the money, which the will stipulates will go to a cousin if Aubrey dies, Louise comes up with a scheme for her to inherit the money if her husband fakes his death, then comes back as his cousin, whom they believe has already died. But the butler, played by Logan Kendal, overhears their conversation and comes up with a scheme of his own.

As the play twists and turns the audience is taken on a joyride.

Ward Wright directed "Tons of Money," which Alan Ayckbourn wrote in the 1920s and later adapted to the stage.

Other actors include Ashley Rader, who plays Jean, the wife of cousin George, who the Allingtons didn't know about; Jylian Petrie, who plays Simpson, the maid and secret lover of Sprules the butler; Jeffrey Van Winkle, who plays one of the imposter cousins (Anderson's Aubrey plays the other); Samuel David as Giles the gardener, whose body language is as comical as many of the speaking roles; Nathanael Malloch, as Chesterman the attorney; Jana Grass, as the aged Miss Mullet and Kenneth Brown as the real cousin George.

The Mini Farce Festival alternates nightly with "Nurse Jane Goes to Hawaii."


E-mail: rodger@desnews.com