No Pay? No Way!

A glorious, irreverent and whip-smart comedy about the thrills of sticking it to the man, by the father of Italian farce Dario Fo and Franca Rame.

6 Apr - 11 May 2024

Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House

The Play

★★★★1/2 "Laughs, gasps and trenchant insights" The Sydney Morning Herald
★★★★★ Sydney Arts Guide ★★★★ The Guardian
★★★★ Time Out Sydney ★★★★ Stage Noise 
★★★★1/2 Cultural Binge

NO PAY? NO WAY!

By Dario Fo and Franca Rame
Adapted by Marieke Hardy
Directed by Sarah Giles

"Hysterically funny" Time Out

When No Pay? No Way! opened in 2020 it was instantly met with standing ovations and glowing reviews. Now, one of Sydney Theatre Company’s funniest and most beloved productions in recent years returns to the Drama Theatre and to a world more in need of its wild, farcical wisdom than ever. Directed by the award-winning Sarah Giles (The Importance of Being Earnest, Accidental Death of an Anarchist) adapted from the original Italian by ABC comedy powerhouse Marieke Hardy, this 1970s joyride satirises the world of dollars and cents to uproarious effect.

Prices are out of control – and so is Antonia. Sick of having barely enough to pay the gas bill, she leads an uprising at a local supermarket that sees a group of angry housewives shoplift ‘til they drop. Now, with a pile of newly ‘liberated’ loot, Antonia – played by Mandy McElhinney (The Tempest) – and her best friend Margherita embark on a ludicrous, laugh-a-minute escapade to stay three steps ahead of the law.

The work of one of Italy’s most lauded playwrights, Dario Fo, No Pay? No Way! mixes political satire, hilarious plot twists and sharp-as-a-tack dialogue to create a thrilling experience that will have you in fits of laughter from beginning to end.

Also featuring first-rate comedy legends Roman Delo (Hubris & Humiliation), Emma Harvie (The Harp in the South: Part One and Part Two), Glenn Hazeldine (Così), and Aaron Tsindos (A Fool in Love) this production is both exhilarating and exuberantly funny and prompted one reviewer to remark, “I haven’t heard an audience laugh so loud for a long time” (Limelight).

Approx. duration 2 hrs 20 mins (including interval). Subject to change.
Content Frequent strong language, sexual references and strobe lighting. Subject to change.

Creative Workshops: HOw to be a Writer with Marieke Hardy

If you are a fan of good writing and want to learn about different writing styles and approaches, don’t miss Marieke Hardy’s workshop on How to Be a Writer – covering all the bases and drawing on her own varied career. Marieke is a renowned screenwriter, playwright, media presenter and adapted Dario Fo’s No Pay? No Way! for STC.

13 Jun, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Book now

DATES

Previews 6 – 9 Apr 2024
Season 11 Apr – 11 May 2024

Night with the Artists
Mon 15 Apr, post-show

Captioned Performances
Tue 7 May, 6.30pm
Sat 11 May, 1.30pm

Performance start times
Preview performances 7.30pm
In-season evening performances Mon & Tue 6.30pm; Wed – Sat 7.30pm
Matinee performances Wed 1pm; Sat 1.30pm

SCHOOLS/GP PERFORMANCE

Wed 8 May 11.30am. More info. 
Post-show Q&A with STC Education and Artists.

SINGLE TICKET PRICES 

Mon – Thu
Adult/Seniors Premium Reserve $115
Adult/Seniors A Reserve $105
Adult/Seniors B Reserve $90
Student/Concession Premium Reserve $85
Student/Concession A Reserve $75
Student/Concession B Reserve $60
Under 30s Premium Reserve $65
Under 30s A Reserve $55
Under 30s B Reserve $40

Fri & Sat evening
Premium Reserve $125
A Reserve $115
B Reserve $100

Sat Matinee & Sun
Adult/Seniors Premium Reserve $125
Adult/Seniors A Reserve $115
Adult/Seniors B Reserve $100
Student/Concession Premium Reserve $95
Student/Concession A Reserve $85
Student/Concession B Reserve $70
Under 30s Premium Reserve $75
Under 30s A Reserve $65
Under 30s B Reserve $50

Preview performances
Premium Reserve $63
A Reserve $55
B Reserve $50

Groups Discount (10+ people)
Monday – Thursday
Premium $104
A Reserve $95
B Reserve $81

Please call the Box Office on (02) 9250 1777 to book groups.

Season Ticket Prices

Book this play as part of a Season Ticket and save*. Plus, pay no transaction fees, and enjoy exclusive benefits all year round.

  • Book a Platinum Season Ticket of 10 – 13 plays and save up to 20%
  • Book a Gold Season Ticket of 6 – 9 plays and save up to 15%
  • Book a Silver Season Ticket of 3 – 5 plays and save up to 10%

Seniors discounts
Seniors discounts are an exclusive benefit for Season Ticket Holders. Seniors card holders (excluding Senior Savers Cards) save $5 for all performances except Previews, Friday and Saturday evenings.

Prices are correct at the time of publication and subject to change without notice. Exact prices will be displayed with seat selection.
*Discount is off full-price tickets, excluding preview performances.

Transaction fees may apply
Season Ticket bookings: $0
Single ticket bookings: $8.50

Concession, seniors and under 30 tickets
Suitable and valid identification must be provided for collection of tickets and at the venue, such as your concession or proof of age card. Alternatively, you may email a copy of your identification to [email protected]. Please quote your booking reference number.

Access requirements
For specific access requirements, please call Box Office on (02) 9250 1777 to book your seats. More info.

Authorised ticket sellers
The only authorised ticket sellers for this event are Sydney Theatre Company and Sydney Opera House. Only tickets purchased by authorised agencies should be considered valid and reliable. More info.

Director Sarah Giles
Designer Charles Davis
Lighting Designer Paul Jackson
Composer & Sound Designer Steve Francis
Assistant Director Tait de Lorenzo
Fight & Movement Director Tim Dashwood

With
Roman Delo, Emma Harvie, Glenn Hazeldine, Mandy McElhinney, Aaron Tsindos

Marketing image Rene Vaile

This listing is updated as cast and creatives are confirmed in the lead-up to the production, and if there are any changes to the team. Ensure you have the most up-to-date information about each play by opting in to our enews.

★★★★1/2 "Two hours of anarchic comedy which leaves you struggling to catch your breath between laughs." The Sydney Morning Herald

★★★★ "Marvellously funny." The Guardian

★★★★ "Do not miss out on this wild ride!" Time Out Sydney 

★★★★ "That glorious rare combination of utterly bonkers and totally logical." Stage Noise

★★★★1/2 “This quintet [of actors] is tight and charmingly funny.” Cultural Binge

★★★★★ "The best social farce you're likely to ever see." Sydney Arts Guide

Reviews from the 2020 Season

★★★★★ “A complete joy to watch... Liberation takes many forms in this stellar offering which contorts riotously for two hours to hit the frontal lobe along with the funny bone." ArtsHub

★★★★ "Ferociously funny... expertly executed"
"The dialogue is full of life and there’s rarely a moment across the entire two acts where the laughs stop." Time Out Sydney 

"Funny? There has to be a stronger word? Funny? If I wasn't sitting down, I'd have fallen over. I mean, at one point I was crying." The Sydney Morning Herald 

★★★★ “A riotous, ridiculous delight with a sting in its tail… I haven’t heard an audience laugh so loud for a long time." Limelight Magazine 

★★★★ " This production of Dario Fo's satirical farce is among the funniest Sydney Theatre Company has put to the stage in years." Audrey Journal 

★★★★1/2 "No Pay? No Way! is a frenzy of laughs." 2CH 

"[A] delicious production by Sarah Giles... a very funny show." The Australian 

"Director Sarah Giles’ rendering of the play is relentlessly energetic, for scenes of hilarity that tickle us from start to end." Suzy Goes See 

"It’s an ingenious design – by Charles Davis, lit by Paul Jackson – with a 1970s tenement block-cum-Transformer that gets its own round of applause." Stage Noise 

Buy tickets for {% week.daySelectedInfo.formattedDate %}

{% formatPerformanceDateTime(performance.dateTime) %}
{% 'Buy at SOH' %}
  • Tickets available
  • Multiple performance times
  • Limited availability
  • Allocation Exhausted