Photos: THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG At San Francisco Playhouse

San Francisco Playhouse kicks off its 2024-25 season with the Olivier Award-winning comedy The Play That Goes Wrong. See photos from the production. 

This fast-paced farce packed with inventive theatricality finds the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society on opening night of its newest production, The Murder at Haversham Manor. As the incompetent theatre troupe attempts to stage this 1920s murder mystery, their production devolves into madcap mayhem. Lost props, forgotten lines, and poorly constructed scenery conspire against the clumsy cast, who fight for the show to make it to the final curtain call. San Francisco Playhouse Producing Director and co-founder Susi Damilano, who has staged sidesplitting spoofs at the Playhouse including Noises Off, Clue, and most recently The 39 Steps helms this hilarious whodunit. 

The Play That Goes Wrong will perform September 21 – November 9, 2024 (opening night: Friday, September 27, 2024) at San Francisco Playhouse 450, Post Street. For tickets ($35-$135) and more information, the public may visit sfplayhouse.org or call the box office at 415-677-9596.

Written by London’s Mischief Theatre co-founders Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields, The Play That Goes Wrong has performed for almost a decade in the West End, winning the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy before transferring to Broadway. Entertainment Weekly said, “The Play That Goes Wrong is just right: a ridiculously entertaining disaster.” The New York Times deemed it a “gut-busting hit. One of those breakneck exercises in idiocy that make you laugh till you cry. It starts off punch-drunk and just keeps getting drunker.”

San Francisco Playhouse has assembled a cast of comedic actors to bring this show to life.

Starring as Richard Hannay in last season’s The 39 Steps and featured in Chinglish, Phil Wong (he/him) returns as Chris, the fretful and uptight head of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society. Wong was a Guest Artist in the Tony Award recipient National Tour of Freestyle Love Supreme, and has appeared onstage at American Conservatory Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, California Shakespeare Theater, ACT Contemporary Theatre, Z Space, Shotgun Players, Hillbarn Theatre, Los Altos Stage Company, Palo Alto Players, and Ray of Light Theatre. He is also the co-founder of Bay Area Theatre Cypher, a collective of local hip-hop theatre artists.

Seen in the Playhouse’s Noises Off, Red Velvet, Trouble Cometh, 77%, Seminar, and reasons to be pretty, Patrick Russell (he/him) returns as Robert, a cheerfully clueless actor. He has also performed with American Conservatory Theater, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, California Shakespeare Theater, Marin Shakespeare Company, Marin Theatre, Magic Theatre, Center Repertory Company, and Shotgun Players. 

Featured in Cabaret, Joe Ayers (he/him) returns to the Playhouse as Max, a charming, but amateur performer. Ayers has also worked with California Shakespeare Theater, Asolo Repertory Theatre, American Conservatory Theater, American Stage Theatre Company, Center Repertory Company, Los Altos Stage Company, PlayGround, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Contra Costa Musical Theatre, Berkeley Playhouse, and New Canon Theatre Company.

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