Review: The Play That Goes Wrong

When the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society take to the stage to present their latest production The Murder at Haversham Manor chaos and mayhem erupt. Everything that can go wrong does from missing props, badly delivered lines and collapsing sets to wrong entrances and missed cues.

A play within a play,the plot of The Play That Goes Wrong outlines coarse acting at its very best with nightmare situations and characters that anyone who has experienced am-dram, as audience or performer, will be able to relate to.

It’s a fast paced production with amazing use of physical theatre and tightly timed slapstick from the start but unfortunately as the play reaches Act2 it all becomes too much of a muchness and less funny. One almost gets the feeling that gags and situations have been inserted to pad out what was originally a one act play.

Teamwork is the key to this production coupled with high energy, strong comedy timing and the nerve to participate in some difficult physical theatre feats which the cast are blessed with.

The downside to the production, however is the overly long pre-curtain antics in the auditorium and corridors which are lost in a theatre the size of The Grand whilst other comedy situations go on for far too long reducing their initial sharpness and impact.

Runs until May 27.