Synopsis:
Can't Pay? Won't Pay! is set in Milan during the 1970s-a period of political radicalization and frequent strike actions in Italy; but "the problems are desperately familiar...Fo-faced farce wears a broad smile and proceeds at breathtaking speed" (Michael Coveney, Financial Times) and these themes are not confined to Italy, the play has more universal issues and could easily be set in England against the backdrop of the 1974 "Who Governs Britain?" general election and the collapse of the Heath government in the face of nationwide strikes, an energy crisis, rising unemployment and the three day week. Can't Pay? Won't Pay? like all Fo's plays is a didactic piece of situation theatre based around working class issues. Economic crisis, price increases, feminism, religion, the ineffectual nature of the police force as well as a general dissatisfaction with the state are highlighted by Fo's relentless use of farce, ridicule and slapstick comedy. The play predicted the spread of an incredulous phenomenon. Italy's economic crisis forced the redundancy of many factory workers, the huge increase in price of many services such as public transport, gas and electricity by up to 50% saw outrage and uproar, but it was the increase of supermarket prices that was the rationale for Can't Pay? Won't Pay! As Fo had predicted two weeks after the opening of the play, people took to paying what they considered to be a reasonable price and no more.
PICTURES:
CAST:
Kate Bone as Antonia
James Boston as The Inspector
Emma Christer as Margarita
Dave Pepper as Luigi
Rainer Wiseman as Giovanni
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