The Play That Went Wrong!

Henry Shields, Jonathan Sayer, Henry Lewis

in Mischief Theatre's The Play That Goes Wrong

Photo Credit: Alastair Muir

Literally, I mean literally the play went wrong! This comedy was on at the York Theatre Royal in April 2014.  Mischief Theatre's The Play That Goes Wrong, produced by Kenny Wax and Mark Bentley, has been entertaining audiences at theatres on its UK Tour.  This follows successful runs in the West End and great reviews at the Edinburgh Festival.

Greg Tannahill, Henry Shields, Charlie Russell, Dave Hearn

in Mischief Theatre's The Play That Goes Wrong

Photo Credit: Alastair Muir

The play in a play began when the audience were taking their seats beforehand.  There was panic and bedlam among the crew members of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society over their last minute technical checks on and off stage.  We were asked if had seen their Duran Duran cassettes/CDs around our seats! 

The Cornley Polytechnic thespians attempt was to put on a Whodunnit, The Murder at Haversham Manor, only for them to experience unpredictable and disastrous consequences...everything one thinks goes wrong, goes wrong!  Still the cast and crew persevered and continued their attempts for the show to go on until curtain call.  The host, Chris Bean (Henry Shields), admitted his surprise why we were still in the auditorium before the start of Act 2! Even during the interval we could hear the thespians venting their frustrations...farcical throughout.  They must have eventually found their Duran Duran cassettes/CDs because the music was played for one of the scenes in Act 2 but the incorrect music!

Despite everything with lots of laughter a big round of applause was given to the cast of The Murder of Haversham Manor: Chris (Henry Shields) as Inspector Carter and host; Jonathan (Greg Tannahill) as Charles Haversham; Robert (Henry Lewis) as Thomas Colleymore; Sandra (Charlie Russell) as Florence Colleymore; Max (David Hearn) as Cecil Haversham; and Dennis (Jonathan Sayer) as Butler Perkins (will always remember him for serving spirit!).

 Jonathan Sayer, Dave Hearn, Greg Tannahill, Henry Shields, Charlie Russell 

in Mischief Theatre's The Play That Goes Wrong

Photo Credit: Alastair Muir

The crew have had their limelight too with the play's lighting and sound assistant, Trevor Watson (Rob Falconer) who was often caught napping playing and checking his mobile phone.  Annie (Nancy Wallinger) who had her fair share of stage/set disasters savoured the opportunity to step in for Sandra as Florence Colleymore who was indisposed in Act 1.   Annie was determined to keep the role which she and Sandra, once she recovered, fought for the rest of the play.

Lots of laughter BEFORE the play, DURING the interval, and AFTER the play.  A full credit to The Play That Goes Wrong creative team including the writers, Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields; the designers, Nigel Hook (set) and Rick Mountjoy (lighting); Rob Falconer's music; and under the direction of Mark Bell.

Jonathan Sayer, Henry Lewis, Henry Shields

in Mischief Theatre's The Play That Goes Wrong

Photo Credit: Alastair Muir

If you want a laugh from beginning to end, The Play That Goes Wrong is the PLAY!


Sources: Mischief Theatre and Production Photos (Photo Credit: Alastair Muir) were sent from York Theatre Royal