Review: THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, Theatre Royal, Glasgow

The Play That Goes Wrong is a play within a play. The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society are staging murder mystery Murder at Haversham Manor and things aren't quite going to plan. After having some troublesome productions in the past, the director assures the audience that this will be their greatest success so far. Fluffed lines, missed cues and wayward scenery make for a wonderful farce with impeccable timing.

You would think that there is a limit to how many times you can watch a cast member being knocked unconscious by a piece of scenery, but there really isn't. The set design for The Play That Goes Wrong by Nigel Hook is nothing short of a masterpiece. Initially the set is full of tricks and surprises but as the play develops the whole set is absolutely trashed. While I doubt that they're rebuilding the set after every performance..it really does look like it has been destroyed by the end of the evening!

Katie Bernstein is a comedic delight as the stage manager who gets hauled onstage to to fill in after the leading lady becomes unable to perform. Graeme Rooney also gives a hysterical performance as sound man Trevor who is also forced to stand in for a main character who once again, is knocked unconscious.

While you know that every disaster onstage is planned, you still don't see them coming and it doesn't make them any less hilarious. The Play That Goes Wrong is completely ridiculous and absolutely fantastic.

The Play That Goes Wrong is at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow until Saturday 11th March.

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