Review: Fabulously Funny, Particularly for Anyone Who Has Been Involved In Amateur Theatre, THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG Is So Right For Family Fun

Thursday 6th April 2017, 8pm, Roslyn Packer Theatre

The acclaimed play within a play THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG is perfection in its precision to create the hilarious image of much less than perfect. Following a successful run on London's West End, the show which captures the best of everything that can and will go wrong with amateur, community and school productions, is brilliant in its execution of normally painful moments to create a night filled with laugh out loud moments of recognition and disbelief that the director Mark Bell is actually asking his performers to subject themselves to such a physically brutal expression night after night. .

The premise of the work is that the audience is sitting down to see a College and community amateur production of THE MURDER AT HAVERSHAM MANOR presented by the eager but inept Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society so they do not see the backstage workings of the performance aside from the Sound and Lighting desk, but there is more than enough going wrong on stage before even considering what may be falling apart backstage. Whilst the audience files in we are given a glimpse of the challenges that the cast and crew will encounter through the evening as the hapless stage manager Annie Twilloil (Tammy Weller), Lighting and Sound Operator Trevor Watson (Adam Dunn) and Assistant Stage Managers Maggie (Francine Cain), William (Jordan Prosser) and Lincoln (Matthew Whitty) attempt to prepare the stage for the performance. For any of the audience that still haven't gathered that Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society isn't known for its stellar performances, the society's President Chris Bean (Nick Simpson-Deeks) welcomes the audience and attempts to set the expectations for the night at a very low bar by listing off the company's previous performances, many of which were hampered by budget constraints, casting issues and the like.

The MURDER AT HAVERSHAM MANOR centres on the discovery of Charles Haversham (Darcy Brown as Jonathan Harris), murdered after his engagement party to Florence Colleymoore (Brooke Satchwell as Sandra Wilkinson). As the mystery is investigated by Inspector Carter (Nick Simpson-Deeks as Chris Bean), the household butler Perkins (George Kemp as Dennis Tyde), Florence's brother Thomas Colleymoore (Luke Joslin as Robert Grove), Charles' brother Cecil (James Marlowe as Max Bennett) and the gardener (James Marlowe as Max Bennett) help to solve the mystery whilst hiding their own secrets.

For anyone that's attended high school drama classes, participated in community theatre, or been forced to endure them whilst a loved one treads the boards, this work is filled with fabulously fun recognisable parts that go well beyond the physical humour. The basics of drama training that frustrated teachers used to roll out without being concerned about the finessing and softening into a naturalistic style are all present, from the firm confident gestures to ensure that you can be clearly seen from the back of the auditorium, to the impression of what an upper-class socialite should sound like, and the instruction to continue at all costs and improvise are all included. The varying levels of skill that comes with community productions, from the actor that can remember their lines, the actor that can't handle big words and the actor that can't work out his cues, are all included. The work is a brilliant well paced combination of dialogue driven and physical comedy where the thuds and crashes into walls and other objects does in no way sound like special effects making this work even more impressive when considering the actors commitment to authenticity.

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG is a fabulous work that does not attempt to be anything more than an a fun filled night. Suitable for all ages and backgrounds but particularly appealing to those that have had any involvement with theatre at any level and those that have sat through any amateur theatre, from school productions to community theatre.

Sydney

Venue Roslyn Packer Theatre, 22 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay

Dates From 5 April 2017

Times Tue 7pm, Wed - Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm & 8pm, Sun 1pm & 5pm

Prices Tickets from $89.90

Bookings Roslynpackertheatre.com.au & Ticketmaster.com.au

Canberra

Venue Canberra Theatre, Civic Square, London Circuit, Canberra

Dates From 25 April 2017

Times Tue 6.30pm, Wed - Fri 7.30pm, Sat 2pm & 7.30pm, Sun 1pm & 5pm

Prices Tickets from $89.90

Bookings Canberratheatrecentre.com.au

Brisbane

Venue Concert Hall, QPAC, Corner of Grey & Melbourne Streets, South Bank

Dates From 4 May 2017

Times Tue 6.30pm, Wed - Fri 7.30pm, Sat 2pm & 7.30pm, Sun 1pm & 5pm

Prices Tickets from $89.90

Bookings Qpac.com.au

Perth

Venue His Majesty's Theatre, 825 Hay Street, Perth

Dates From 31 May 2017

Times Tue 7pm, Wed - Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm & 8pm, Sun 1pm & 5pm

Prices Tickets from $89.90

Bookings Ticketek.com.au