The Play That Goes Wrong
Malvern Theatres
*****
The drama doesn’t normally begin until
the lights go down and the curtain goes up. But there is nothing normal
about this evening’s entertainment.
As theatre goers begin to trickle from foyer and
bar into auditorium, there are raised hackles and raised voices amongst
irate members of the cast and stage management team of The Murder at
Haversham Manor – the play within The Play That Goes Wrong. Confused?
Splendid.
Once tempers have calmed a little and audience
members have found their seats and regained their bearings, we are
warmly welcomed to Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’s production of The
Murder at Haversham Manor.
The performance programme assures us that despite
one of the props being a real gun, it has been made safe by polytechnic
stage manager Annie Twilloil (Katie Bernstein)who has wedged wet paper
towels inside the barrel. As Annie seems to have single-handedly
designed, built and stage managed the entire production we can clearly
rest assured that we are not in safe hands.
It is actually worth arriving early to fully
digest the programme, as it helps explain the attitudes of some cast
members: Max Bennett’s excitement at joining the cast is evident
throughout the night, and his lack of naturalism is perhaps offset in
the eyes of his colleagues by his recent large donation to the Drama
Society’s funds; Dennis Tyde failed his tryouts for various clubs before
finally being allowed into the Society; and Trevor Watson aims to gain
the credits he needs for his electronics module before leaving the Drama
Society as quickly as possible.
Although we must of course remember that these
‘cast members’ are simply characters played by cast members of The Play
That Goes Wrong: Alastair Kirton, Edward Howell and Graeme Rooney. It’s
probably more straightforward simply to watch it.
So... The Play That Goes Wrong is a smidgen over
two hours’ worth of carefully choreographed mayhem encompassing just
about every possible theatrical mishap you could imagine, and many that
you can’t. From the outset, props malfunction, egos clash, lines are
forgotten and cues missed.
The cadaver (Jason Callender’s Jonathan) will not
stay still, Sandra (Meg Mortell) is knocked unconscious, and Trevor the
techie seems more focused on finding his mislaid Duran Duran CD than
adding those vital finishing touches to the performance. There is
intelligent slapstick, swordplay and wordplay, fantastic physical
theatre, and absolutely perfectly timed mis-timings. Imagine a Miss
Marple mystery set in Fawlty Towers and you’ll gain a hint of the mood
of this piece.
After the interval Patrick Warner as the
Polytechnic Drama Society’s director Chris Bean apologises for ‘one or
two minor snags’ and the pace becomes more manic as the murder mystery
unfolds. Serious injuries and a collapsing set make stand-ins and
improvisation absolute necessities if the cast is to make it to the
finish line, with some artists bravely battling adversity while others
battle for the limelight. Another star of the show has to be the
ingenious set designed by Nigel Hook, which implodes spectacularly
throughout, building to a disastrous climax.
The whole show was exhausting to watch and I was
utterly impressed at the actors’ skills and physicality, and the clever
writing by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields. The auditorium
was filled with guffaws for two hours, and other audience members rated
the show as ‘hilarious’ and ‘fabulous’, urging me to go and see the
similarly themed Peter Pan Goes Wrong, another collaboration between
Producer Kenny Wax and Mischief Theatre. Once I’ve recovered I may well
take their advice.
The Play That Goes Wrong moves on from Malvern to
Plymouth then Canterbury, and I’d recommend it for adults and older
children alike. High energy, fun entertainment, this play will have you
wishing for disaster in every production you see.
To 22-07-17.
Amy Rainbow
18-07-17
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