20 March 2017

The Play That Goes Wrong



Review by: Paul Towers, 20 March 2017
The Play That Goes Wrong by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, Henry Shields
Mischief Theatre production
Curve 20 – 25 March 2017

“The Play That Goes Wrong is so right”

Still running in London’s West End after 4 years The Play That Goes Wrong is halfway through a nationwide tour. This has to be the funniest theatrical experiences you will every see. From the moment the audience starts to trickle into the auditorium you are greeted with various members of the ‘backstage staff’ frantically searching for a missing  cast member. A dog. This pre-show lunacy sets the scene for a riotous amateur production of a standard murder mystery which descends into utter mayhem.
With exquisite timing the cast of  12 endure a catalogue of missed cues, dropped props and scenery that misbehaves.
As the director and senior cast member Chris Bean, Patrick Warner wears the supercilious sneer so beloved of John Challis in Only Fools and Horses as he tries desperately to maintain some sort of control over proceedings. Eventually even his patience wears thin and he descends into the type of anarchic hysteria that would make Basil Fawlty  baulk.
The entire cast give very physical performances as the scenery conspires against them with an array of falling pictures, stuck doors and collapsing floors. Especial praise must go to Edward Judge as Robert, expertly channelling James Cordon in 1 Man 2 Governors, who does a fine furniture juggling routine on a fallen floor. Alistair Kirton as Max has fun demolishing the theatrical fourth wall by mugging to the audience at every opportunity. I could go on as every single cast member gives 110%.
The Play That Goes Wrong is so right and delivers an evening of hysterical laughter from the curtain up to the final demolition of the set.
A full house at Curve stumbled out into the rain with tears already streaming down their faces.
The Play That Goes Wrong is touring til August 2017
Tickets available for Curve at www.curveonline.co.uk
First published on Western Gazette






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