The Just Price Of Flowers

Twenty one short scenes tell the story of Mr. & Mrs. Van Leasing who, coveting a tulip owned by their aristocratic neighbour Van Eek and egged on by smooth talking banker Van Hire, get sucked into the idea they can grow rich speculating on the rising value of tulips. So successful is Van Hire in lending money to tulip fanatics that he approaches both Van Eek and the financier Adrian Van Tage for investment. Everyone attempts to persuade a ageing domestic servant Van Driver to invest in tulips for his retirement but he always declines. Inevitably the tulip market stalls and collapses, the Van Leasings are bankrupted and Van Hire, facing terrible losses, confronts Van Eek and Van Tage with a doomsday scenario and, in a crushing finale, Van Driver learns from Van Tage that his pension fund was invested in Tulips.

This tight and playful allegory for the 2008 financial crisis is clearly and cleverly written. It is an ideal choice for any amateur theatre looking something a little different.

"Credit-default swaps and short selling have never been so wryly entertaining or easy to understand. [this] production never sells its audience's intelligence short. It also has plenty of fun while never neglecting the tragedy of ordinary people whose savings and pensions are the casualties in the greedy rush for gain." Lyn Gardner - The Guardian