The Play That Goes Wrong, Duchess Theatre review ★★★★★

You are cordially invited to join the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society as they put on a 1920s murder mystery. Yet, as the title promises, The Play That Goes Wrong captures a cast of bungling thespians as their dramatic plans descend into disaster.

Mischief Theatre Company started life as an improvisation troupe made up of graduates from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). A regular sell-out at the Edinburgh Fringe with Lights, Camera, Improvise (in which they improvise a film plot based on audience suggestions), they first previewed The Play That Goes Wrong as a fringe theatre one-act show

Since then, the show has grown in strength to become a West End triumph and a worthy winner of the 2015 Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. The improvisational talents of the actors create the sense, even when working loosely from a script, that anything could happen on the stage, but director Mark Bell’s background in traditional movement-based theatre (he trained at École Internationale de Théâtre de Jacques Lecoq) ensures that it does not quite descend into unrestricted mayhem.

Farce at its finest, this high energy physical comedy brings old-school slapstick back to the West End. The increasing desperation on the face of the troupe, as their production literally crashes to the ground, brings a repeated smile to the face of even the most sensible of theatregoers. If silly slapstick turns your stomach it may not be for you. However, if you’re in the mood for a bit of nonsense after a long day this show is a perfect. Henry Shields’ tickling performance as theatre director-cum-inspector and Dave Hearn’s bumbling asides bring the production a great deal of charm. Don’t expect high-brow theatre, but do expect a wonderful set design and the cheerful resilience of a cast who are determined to carry on the show. It may not be transcendental, but it’s fun and very family friendly.

We recommend for children aged 8+.

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