Factors Unforeseen By Michel Vinaver Translated by Catherine Crimp Directed by Sam Walters Orange Tree Theatre Richmond 29th April - 30th May What goes around comes around. It might be news to some youngsters but we have had recessions in the past, this play dates from 1980, but it has the same message to us today as it had to those audiences in 1980. The true legacy of those Thatcher years is that greed causes misery and all too often those in power think that every thing will be rosy and they don't need to work for it. Factors Unforeseen is superbly directed by Sam Walters with a huge cast of 20 playing over 30 roles. A cosmetics company has developed a new tanning product, all they are concerned with is how best to make money with the product, they don't care that it is dangerous and causes cancer. Their American backers don't care; all they want is a balance sheet showing a profit. The executives don't care, all they want is power and position and money and not in that order! The Sales Staff don't care, all they want is to close the deal, make the order and pocket the commission. Even the Production Staff don't really care beyond their pay packets, but when it all goes belly up and when the house of cards falls all of them suffer. Just about every issue is touched upon in this piece, global capitalism, excessive mass production, worker relationships, and use of sex in advertising, sexual harassment, office politics and death by cancer by using a needless product. I could go on, but you get the picture. Superbly directed by Sam Walters the dynamic is very fast. Each issue is presented, developed and moved on in a matter of seconds, conversations whiz across the stage at breakneck speed, the lines and actors are choreographed to perfection. Magnificent concentration is needed from the actors and that is just what we got. The cast were quite faultless in their deliveries and it is difficult to praise individuals as each deserves equal praise. All in all it made for a very enjoyable evening and also gave me a salutary memory. The good times are always followed by the bad times; the greedy always ensure that happens. So beware of the greedy because they care only for themselves and if you do jump into bed with them, you won't even get a share of the duvet! Seeing this play is a must, highly enjoyable, very entertaining and a message for all in our world today. Reviewed by Evan Rule