The Play That Goes Wrong at the Duchess Theatre

AnxiousTheatregoer
2 days ago
7 min read

The Play That Goes Wrong… the play that went very right for Mischief Theatre. Joining the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society for their presentation of The Murder at Haversham Manor is always sure to be a fabulous time. As a long-time lover of Mischief Theatre’s work available on BBC iPlayer, I was thrilled to finally be able to catch this wonderful production.

The seating in this theatre was comfortable, and from Row C, I did not find myself struggling or having to look up for the show, and I would certainly sit here again. The Front of House staff were extremely helpful, and this was an all-around wonderful experience at a theatre.

This show is side-splitting fun, and I hope to be able to return to Haversham Manor soon

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*

My Review:

After having watched the various Mischief shows available on BBC iPlayer (The Goes Wrong Show, Peter Pan Goes Wrong, and Christmas Carol Goes Wrong), I have been meaning to see The Play That Goes Wrong for a while, so I was thrilled to finally be able to catch it. As a highly anticipated show for me, I definitely went in with high expectations, and these were completely blown out of the water by the talent of the entire cast.

The show begins with an immersive pre-show featuring Trevor (Ronnie York), Annie (Izzy Edmunds-Clarke), Mick Hedge (Jake Bergum), and Suzie Suki (Louise Hoare); however, sometimes the pre-show will feature Celia P. Bobbin (Kitty Devlin) as this part includes the covers as additional members of the backstage team. I find this to be a wonderful way to incorporate the covers into the show, even when they are not playing their cover roles. The pre-show gives the audience an initial glimpse into the chaos that seems to follow the Cornell Polytechnic Drama Society from show to show and is an incredibly fun part of this show that draws the audience into the action whilst also setting the atmosphere for what is to come.

The main show is opened by Chris Bean (Jack Hardwick), the Director. Jack Hardwick’s portrayal of Chris Bean was wonderful, and a stand-out moment of his performance for me was during what can only be described as Chris Bean’s crash-out whilst looking, to no avail, for the ledger. His ability to not break but destroy the fourth wall and address the audience in a manner that felt seamless and considered was already impressive but was made considerably more so when I found out that this section is not scripted so was actually improvisation which was simply perfect for this moment due to Jack Hardwick’s understanding of the character.

Joining Trevor as part of the backstage team throughout the play is Annie (Izzy Edmunds-Clarke), who, despite her best efforts, ends up in the lead female role… a part she later decides she’d rather not give back, and that’s all I say on that. You’ll have to see the show to find out more! Her portrayal was a joy to watch, especially her initial hesitancy to fill in for Sandra, which later turns into being protective of the role. This growth was brilliantly portrayed, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the journey of Annie and her improvement in confidence as the show played out. Izzy Edmunds-Clarke shone when it came to on-stage fight scenes and believable injuries, as did all of the cast, but it was her interactions with Sandra (Charlotte Scott) which truly highlighted the talent of these two actors when it comes to stage fighting and making it believable and enjoyable for an audience member. During background moments, this fighting contributed rather than drew attention away from the main scene, and this made it all the more impressive, as that balance can be so hard to strike.

Ronnie York was hilarious as Trevor, and I often found myself looking up at his stage management perch wondering what he was going to do next. His interactions with the cast whilst on the stage and in other places were a joy to see, and I was completely captivated by his portrayal. A moment that solidified the brilliance of his portrayal for me was his interaction with Chris Bean as he decided he actually quite liked playing the chimes of the clock. Another moment was when, despite all his protests, he also ended up filling in for Sandra… YES, something else happened! Once again, you’ll have to see it to find out more. Much like Annie, despite his initial reluctance, he actually started to enjoy the role, and his interactions with Max (Tom Wainwright) were utterly hilarious to witness.

Tom Wainwright completely committed to the role of Max, and his dedicated actions for specific lines and moments were perfect, leaving me in stitches every time. Throughout, he was so brilliant and leaned into the audience-loving, light-hearted nature of Max beautifully. His interactions with Sandra (Charlotte Scott) balanced chemistry and hesitancy perfectly, and this was especially true during his interaction with Sandra whilst playing the farmer. Another element of his performance that I thoroughly enjoyed was his fight scene with Robert (Ed Shamwana), as this was once again a moment of this play where comedy and performance seamlessly blended to create a scene that was not only entertaining but also visually impressive and thoroughly engaging to watch.

Following Chris Bean’s introduction, the play being performed by the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, The Murder at Haversham Manor, is able to begin. The opening gives the audience yet another hint that this performance may not be as smooth sailing as the drama society would hope, as we see it start twice so that Jonathan (Jonty Peach) can get to his beginner's position on stage. Jonty Peach effortlessly brought the character of Jonathan to life, and his improvisation in order to exit the stage when the stretcher fails was side-splittingly good. His interruptions throughout, as he got the timing of the show wrong, ironically displayed perfect comedic timing, and it was a joy to watch him portray the role of Jonathan in The Play That Goes Wrong. Jonty Peach brings this character to life with such perfection that you will be captivated by his performance and interaction with his fellow castmates.

Charlotte Scott was sensational as Sandra and in particular her interactions with her cast mates, especially Tom Wainwright as Max and Izzy Edmunds-Clarke as Annie. Her commitment to stage injury and stage fighting is spectacular and certainly added to not only the comedy but to the impressiveness of this production with regards to physical comedy and inclusion of realistic ‘goes wrong’ moments that feel natural. Her stage fighting with Izzy Edmunds-Clarke was seamless to watch, meaning it was able to feel well-placed and integrated as part of the show rather than potentially distracting. She encapsulates Sandra, and it was a joy to watch her perform in this role as her characterisation felt considered and unique; however, throughout, she proved that she was able to not only stand out as an individual character but to blend with the other to produce the overall ensemble feel of this show.

The performance I watched I was privileged to see a first cover debut for the role of Dennis (Alex Blackie). Alex Blackie absolutely smashed his debut role and I honestly would have thought he’d been playing it for ages with how comfortable he was to the point that he was continuously growing and developing Dennis and his portrayal throughout the performance. Throughout his portrayal was hilarious to watch but it was the subtle moments of reading lines from his hand or his upset upon saying cyanide wrong that showed how perfect Alex Blackie’s version of Dennis was. It was Alex Blackie’s ability to lean into and develop these subtle moments and interactions with cast members that highlighted his talent as an actor and his detailed understanding of Dennis.

Ed Shamwana as Robert is the king of physical theatre, and his commitment to this was truly astonishing to watch. During the phone scene and another scene with a desk and chair on the raised platform of the stage, his ability to interact with and control the set without losing any characterisation, all whilst adding to the overall plot, was truly astounding. I was on the edge of my seat for these moments as his physicality made these moments seem all the more stressful. This caused the audience to be enthralled from second to second as they waited to see what happened next, and that captivation was completely down to the talent of Ed Shamwana and his commitment to the role. His portrayal throughout is perfect for Robert, down to his final scene, and his portrayal of this larger-than-life character throughout that further added to the already immense comedy of this show.

All of the cast were able to allow their character to shine through in their roles in The Murder at Haversham Manor, and the ability to blend distinct characters is a major demand of The Play That Goes Wrong and one that all of the cast were able to fulfil perfectly. It is this blended portrayal that allows the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society characters to remain constant throughout the play within this show and allows the characters to feel more human and relatable, meaning that the audience consistently roots for them and their perseverance despite everything that may go wrong on stage.

If you are in search of a side-splitting good comedy, then you’ll be in the right place should you stumble into the Duchess Theatre to watch The Play That Goes Wrong.

Content Warnings

The theatre has warnings on display, which are as follows:

Pyrotechnics
Gun Shots
Loud Sound Effects
Smoke Haze

Watching this show, I did not make note of any moments not covered by these warnings that I personally struggled with; however, it should be mentioned that this show features stage-fighting and fake blood.

Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)

- AnxiousTheatregoer