By Marketing Intern: Hannah Beaudreau
THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG is a comedic play that was first performed in 2012 by the Mischief Theatre Company. In this play, a lot of things don’t go according to plan, so who wrote a play that could purposefully go wrong? The jokesters in charge of this were Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields. All three not only wrote this play, but they also starred in the original production! The show premiered at the Old Red Lion Theatre in London, and due to its success, it was later transferred to the West End. The play has since been performed in several countries around the world, including the United States, Australia and Canada.
Pictured: Grayson McMillian Fontana-Harless as Jonathan playing Charles and Emily J. Pace as Sandra playing Florence. Costumes By: Jeffrey Meek, Photo By: Miki Galloway.
This production follows the story of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, who are trying to put on a play titled THE MURDER AT HAVERSHAM MANOR. However, everything that can go wrong during a production, does go wrong. From set malfunctions to missed cues, the actors struggle to keep the show on track, resulting in hilarious mishaps and mishandled situations.
With all of these mishaps and malfunctions, it’s important that the set for this production can handle multiple runs of a show. Luckily, the original set designer of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, Nigel Hook, did a perfect job at this. Hook’s innovative and elaborate designs for THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG have been praised for their ability to transform the stage into a dynamic and interactive environment that serves as a key element of the production’s humor. The set features a variety of interactive elements, including doors that won’t stay closed, hanging décor that can’t stay up, and props that break or malfunction, all of which contribute to the play’s humor and chaos. Overall, Hook’s skillful set design is an integral part of the success of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, and has helped to make it one of the most popular and beloved productions of its kind in recent years.
Pictured: The Cast of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG. Costumes By: Jeffrey Meek, Photo By: Miki Galloway.
THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG has been widely acclaimed by audiences and critics alike for its cleverly written script, set, costumes and actors/actresses. The play has won several awards, including the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy and the Broadway.com Audience Choice Award for Best Play. Its success has also led to the creation of two spin-off shows, PETER PAN GOES WRONG and THE COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY.
THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG’s enduring popularity has made it a staple in the world of modern theatre, and it continues to attract audiences with its hilarious take on the theatre world. Here at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, we are proud to bring this production to OKC audiences, and we hope everyone gets the chance to come see this wonderfully fun show!
Pictured: Joseph Campbell as Max playing Cecil, and Jason Bias as Robert playing Thomas. Costumes By: Jeffrey Meek, Photo By: Miki Galloway.
