Review: THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG at Keegan Theatre

The Play That Goes Wrong, now playing at the Keegan Theatre, amusingly subverts classic murder mystery tropes by merrily mixing the physical comedy of The Three Stooges with the verbal intricacy of the Marx Brothers. This frenetically and madcap play conveys the double-entendre of Charlie Chan and the mass appeal of detectives we have all come to know through literature and film (for, indeed, the marvelous Matthew Pauli does a superb job of portraying “Chris” as Inspector Carter-- who reminded me of an absent-minded  Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple).

Director Michael Innocenti moves this play along with fierce speed and dexterity as the stage comes alive with both verbal and physical comedy, pratfalls, and farcical high jinks. The entire ensemble follow his lead and this play by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields takes off like a burst of comedic fireworks. The superb comic timing of this play is a result of the finely calibrated direction.

The influences of Noises Off, Lucky Stiff, and The Mousetrap, are all prevalent --I also detected the brittleness and mayhem associated with television’s Fawlty Towers and some farcical tone reminiscent of A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum.

A bit of “a play within a play” theme ensues as the actors in the Cornley Polytechnic Dramatic society are working (with hilarious results!) on a murder mystery play called “Murder at Haversham Manor.” Added to these two levels is an oft repeated breaking down of the fourth wall---the cast interacted with the delighted audience at the Keegan Theatre.

Act one of this hilarious comedy contains an attempt to get a character out of a window and a bout of swordplay that induced the audience to raucous laughter.

Throughout the play, inanimate objects take on a life of their own and almost become characters in their own right. Properties and set dressing designer Jason Dearing should be commended.

All of the specific performances are excellent. The acting challenges are exceedingly difficult as the actors have dual roles. Especially noteworthy is the performance of Jimmy Bartlebaugh as Max (who plays “Cecil Haversham” and “Arthur” with zest).

Sandra (who plays Florence Colleymoore) is played with exuberance by Leah Packer. Martina Schabron as Annie, the company’s stage manager, plays her role perfectly---with illogical logic (that is the touchstone of all good comedy and farce).

Scenic design and technical direction by Josh Sticklin is phenomenal as the audience is treated to an old family manor replete with a revolving bookcase, a grandfather clock , an upper office area, a family crest, and an upper desk/office area.

Machinations and scenic surprises are amazingly designed to appear effortlessly achieved by superior engineering -----as the audience is continually surprised by the set pieces falling to the floor, planks falling down, a grandfather clock being used like a casket, and so forth and so on.

Costume design by Elizabeth Morton is vivid and fun.

Lighting and sound design by Hailey LaRoe and Brandon Cook respectively are both superbly done.

For refreshing summertime theatrical fun, do not miss the expert comedy The Play That Goes Wrong at the Keegan Theatre!

Running Time:  Two Hours including one fifteen -minute intermission

The Play That Goes Wrong runs through July 12, 2026, at the Keegan Theatre located at 1742 Church Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036.

Photo Credit: L-R Rebecca Ballinger, Jimmy Bartlebaugh, Matthew Pauli, Jackson Saunders, Leah Packer 

(front) Jared H Graham in Keegan Theatre's production of The Play That Goes Wrong.

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