Are the winners really that lucky? - Lucky Sods Civic Theatre

Who wouldn’t want to win millions on the lottery?

They say that money doesn’t bring happiness.

Oh yeah? Well we’d all love to find out.

And being miserable is surely better when you have no money worries.

Or is it?

This satirical and compassionate comedy about a couple who have nothing on Friday and £2 million on Saturday is an astute variation on the theme of “Be careful what you wish for, it may come true”.

Morris and Jean are your average married couple, struggling through life with just about enough to pay the bills.

They do the lottery every week and watch as their dreams fade on an all too common weekly basis.

Then one day Jean changes the numbers. They sit, they watch, they win. It happens to them. Lucky Sods.

But is it really a dream come true?

As with many others who have won they say it’s not going to change them, but Morris believes that bad luck always follows good.

The cracks in their marriage widen, their relatives resent them and, while Jean keeps winning, Morris takes off to Amsterdam with an old flame.

It all gets very complicated and the money becomes even more of a millstone.

And well done to the eight-strong Rotherham Rep cast for making this superb Godber script rattle along.

Much of the stage time is taken up by the two principles — Morris (Adam Hart) and Jean (Jo Toop) who work together extremely well.

There is genuine rapport between the two and they both turn in super performances, particularly Jean as she becomes more emotional at her husband’s antics.

Nice cameos as well from the evergreen Rosie Burke as Morris’s slightly dotty mother (I didn’t recognise her) and Heather Stotton as his old flame Connie.

And a word about the remainder of the cast — Jemma Vernon, Danny Hastie, Steven Coward and Sheila Halso who give good support.

It’s a good production this, helped — of course — that it’s a compelling plot.

Last but not least let’s not forget the directors who make it all fit together.

Sarah Cleverley started it off but halfway through the seven week rehearsal schedule she had to go into hospital for an operation and husband Mark Hone stepped in to take over.

They worked together towards the end and can be proud of their contribution.

Just one niggle. Pity there were not more in the audience on opening night. Those who stayed away missed a treat.

Tickets are £7.50 from the Civic Theatre’s Box Office.