Paul O. Beale's Money Worries is a comedic quake produced by the contact between an absurd plate and a farcical plate. The result of this clash of comedic forms has created a flow of fine acting and a vibration of laughter on a magnitude scale. This was the case on Sunday at the Green Gables Theatre in Half-Way Tree.

The opening was powerful; a gunshot ended a brief scene and the packed theatre laughed. And at the sound of Delcita's voice (offstage) the laughter intensified, affirming Andrea Wright's brilliance as a comedic actress. Her delivery of Delcita Coldwater's simplicity was truly amazing. As in Di Driver, Wright's portrayal of this character has made Delcita one of the more popular and loved in local theatre.

Adorned in Delcita's trademark minstrel black face under a mop-looking hair and two darkened upper front teeth, creating the illusion of cavity while speaking in a monotonous, whining voice, Wright produced jabs after jabs of witty lines that at times had the audience out of their seats. And yet, through it all, she was a model of self-control and great concentration.

Mmuffled words

Supporting Wright was Garfield Reid in his role as Bad Boy Trevor. Reid played two roles: Trevor, and a Trevor in disguise as Junior Senior. While he, too, received his fair share of laughter, at times his words were muffled.

Sheldon Shepherd played an eccentric lawyer, Valentine Chase. In spite of Chase's poorly coordinated clothes, Shepherd did not connect with the audience; Stead Flash (Judge), Donald Thompson (Theophilous Bull), Felicia Lorde (Heath Enthenoble) and Trudy Campbell (Conchita Bumper) and Patrick Smith (Clerk of the Court) all contributed to the comedy.

The story unfolds in three settings: in an office, a living/dining room and a courtroom. The play can easily be classified as a Delcita and Bad Boy Trevor sequel. Trevor, business hustler, lives a dual life in two different communities with two women, Delcita and Heath, whom he deceived out of their money. But in a twist of fate, instead of Trevor being arrested for his wrong, it is Delcita who ends up in prison. But the feisty Delcita defends herself and is vindicated by a jury. Trevor, on the other hand, gets an unconvincing slap on the wrist for another crime.

Roots play

Beale, who is also the director, has penned a roots play that has a linear structured plot. But while the rising action did not result in the expected explosion at the end, the playwright created a conflict and stayed the course in unravelling it. The language of the play is witty and loaded with quotations from noted philosophers and street philosophies, and most of the sexual overtures are implied.

Directorially, Beale guided the cast well, employing all the acting areas. The movie technique to reinforce the mood of some of the characters on their entrance in the court scene was innovative. But he needed to pay some attention to the actors' use of their downstage hands for gestures, instead of their upstage hands, especially Wright in the court scenes.

The set was practical and functional, but it is not clear why some characters are dressed to look like they are at 'Bellevue on holiday' while others dressed normal.

While there seemed to be an attempt to tone down on the lewd language, Money Worries is an adult show that is worth viewing, even for just a good laugh.