The Play That Goes Wrong

Duchess Theatre

Long may this show live on the West End! You cannot watch this show without laughing and everything that could possibly go wrong with this show DOES indeed go wrong.

This was my second time watching this fantastic show and it was just as fantastic as the first time. Can you believe 'The Play That Goes Wrong' has been on the West End for nearly 11 years?! Yes, I can believe it too, because it's a Mischief masterpiece from start to finish.

The Cornley Drama Society are putting on a murder mystery 'Murder at Haversham Manor' how exciting. The backstage crew are solving some last-minute stage chaos as you enter the theatre and there's a lost dog? The audience are not ready for the utter calamity they are about to witness. This two-act show will have you laughing and on the edge of your seat. This show is so well done, because there is not one moment where you feel the jokes are overdone and they loop back to previous jokes so well. Attention detail is utterly divine in every aspect comic timing, characterisation, set and tech elements... that are also part of the show.

I don't want to give away any of the jokes, because you'll enjoy it more if you go see the chaos for yourself. Trust me, you'll laugh so much your tummy will hurt. The set is just insane, and it gets VERY insane. You just sit there thinking 'Could it get any worse?' and it does. The work Mischief have put into crafting this show is something truly magical and it is a theatre marvel.

However, we're not here to discuss the show itself, we're here to talk about the cast of 2025. When choosing the cast, I'm sure you want to fit the actors to the characters, but also bring something new and different to the table every year. To keep it fresh and keep the show developing. It's safe to say the 2025 cast have filled the big shoes. They have got the comic timing, understood their character's roles and have clearly played around with each scene, it's enjoyable to watch. Operation Mincemeat's Jonty Peach has morphed into a brilliant Jonathon, he is the best person pretending to be a dead person on stage... but he's not good at being dead his character is just trying to dead but also react to what is going on around him discreetly, but it's not discreet at all. His timing and at times deliberate bad timing will have you in fits! Main character energy.

Izzy Edmunds-Clarke as stagehand Annie and Charlottle Scott as main character Sandra are the most hilarious pair. Annie steps in for Sandra after an incident. The two have this funny battle for the leading female role, as Annie realises when she steps in that she quite enjoys the limeligh, this development is a delight. The friction and power struggle is perfectly timed and builds up in craziness. They act like two cats; the drama is perfect for the chaotic piece. The inspector (Chris) is played by Jack Hardwick, and he is great for this role. His reactions to the drama are serious and he plays an actor who takes the piece very seriously, he introduces the show, and he also has an argument with the audience. The balance between him and the other actors that are enjoying the chaos, embellishes the comedy. Mischief have clearly thought of every single possible stereotype in an acting society.

Basically, the new cast are great and I could write for hours about each one... but, you should see for yourself soooo go get tickets. Already seen it? Well see it again, because this is a show you can watch over and over again. What makes it so clever is that we can all think of an am-dram show we've watched in the past or school performance that will remind you of an element of this show. It's relatable to every audience member in so many different ways. This is just one of the many fantastic shows Mischief have created and if you want more after seeing this... Then, make sure to catch 'The Comedy About Spies' whilst that's still playing at the Noel Coward Theatre while you still can.