Toronto Review: 'Cash Me If You Can' at Marilyn and Charles Baillie Theatre, Berkeley Street
Paul Love, Associate Toronto Critic
Banks are the titans of the financial world, capable of squashing any mere mortal like a bug if they so choose, right? Not so fast. Enter Patrick Combs, a man who became a viral sensation — long before we used the term “viral sensation” — when he battled one of the biggest banks in the United States over a fake cheque he deposited that miraculously cleared.
In essence, Patrick Combs’s story goes like this: after receiving one of those junk mail cheques for an exorbitant amount of money (in his case, just over $95,000), he decided to deposit it as a joke, only to have the cheque actually clear. He continues his story from there, telling us about the advice people gave him, how the bank reacted when they finally figured out what had happened, and the media storm when he went public with his story. Sure, you can read about this story all over the internet, but it won’t match the entertaining way Mr. Combs tells it in Cash Me If You Can. Plus, the little added anecdotes and minute details add a great personal touch to the story.
The format of this production is quite atypical in that it is a single performer telling you a true story, documentary-style, and that performer is actually the person the story is about. Patrick Combs tells us his incredible story as only he could, in a format that feels like it’s part Ted Talk and part stand-up comedy routine. He speaks directly to the audience, interacting with them the whole time, while “performing” moments from his whirlwind experience that took place more than two decades ago, complete with a small set stage left that represents his modest apartment, various props, and a screen upstage that is used to enhance moments of the story as well as being used for comedic effect.
Despite the fascinating nature of the story, the whole presentation could very well land with a thud if Mr. Combs didn’t have the charisma to pull it off. Thankfully, he does. He keeps the story moving along at a fairly good clip, which helps save the show from the fact that it’s a tad longer than it needs to be. The opening night audience was drawn in, hanging on Mr. Combs words, ready to offer a high-five or a shout of support when he elicited them. He built tension well and expertly drew out the humour throughout with his skilled timing. While this show is not your typical theatrical performance, it is an entertaining ride, nonetheless.
CASH ME IF YOU CAN
Presented in association with Horse and Hound Productions.
The show runs until December 21 at the Marilyn and Charles Baillie Theatre, 26 Berkeley St. in Toronto.
All performances start at 8:00 pm, with a matinee on Saturday, December 21 at 2 pm. Please visit the Canadian Stage website (canadianstage.com) or call the box office at 416-368-3110 for more information.
Running time approximately 2 hours, 15 minutes with a 10-minute intermission.
Photo of Patrick Combs provided by Canadian Stage website