The Play That Goes Wrong
The Play That Goes Wrong
Nancy Stevens, MKFM’s Arts Correspondent had more than her funny bone tickled at Mischief Theatre's The Play That Goes Wrong which chaotically arrives at Milton Keynes Theatre, and from the moment the curtain does not go up, the stage is already set – and things go horribly wrong. A stage hand, Trevor (Graeme Rooney) is on stage with the Stage Manager, Annie Twilloil (Katie Bernstein) lamenting the loss of his Duran Duran CD while frantically trying to rectify the technical issues that should have been resolved before curtain-up. In fact, should have been rectified six weeks earlier in tech rehearsal...
The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society present Murder at Haversham Manor and each character is a caricature of themselves.
- stage is set - or not - by the egotistical director and star of the show, Chris Bean (a brilliant Patrick Warner) who is an amalgamation of Basil Fawlty, Trigger from ‘Only Fools’ and ‘Inspector Clouseau’. The cast consists of the femme fatale, Clire Rice (Natasha Culley) who overacts, postures, preens and generally behaves in a wholly inappropriate manner considering her fiancé Jonathan (a hugely expressive Jason Callender) has just been murdered. This is no surprise, considering she was carrying on a not-so-clandestine affair with his brother Max (a scene-stealing Alastair Kirton). bungling Billy Bunter character, Robert, is played by Edward Judge who reminded me of James Corden in One Man, Two Guvnors.
This production was a like murder mystery on acid, and the chaos that ensues makes for constant hilarity, as props are not where they should be, lines are forgotten, repeated, or delivered in the wrong order; corpses end up ‘corpsing’, and the set literally falls down around their ears, to the point of being dangerous. The leading lady is replaced by the SM, as she had been knocked out and thrown unceremoniously out of a window.
The standout actor is cricket-sweater-clad Max, whose overacting, hamming up and constant vying for attention from the audience had us in stitches, as did Trevor, the deadpan Scots stagehand who bungled the lighting and sound.
I have been in some truly terrible am-dram productions in my time, and have to take responsibility for occasionally missing my cue, forgetting my lines and corpsing when I really should have been playing dead, and having to deal with moving scenery - but making it look this bad, really is an art form which even I haven’t perfected!
The sheer brilliance of this play within a play is the ‘show must go on’ attitude of the cast. You are forced to suspend belief at the sheer idiocy of the shambles of this play; you are willing them to remember their lines, but also hoping that another disaster will prevail, thus providing yet more belly laughs. The sheer physicality of some of the downright dangerous stunts was all down to split-second timing.
Even the programme keeps in character with the inane biographies of the cast and some of the – erm - how I shall say this - inadequately cast shows such as Snow White and The Tall Broad Gentlemen, James and the Peach, Two Sisters and Cat.
The audience was in paroxysms of laughter almost throughout, and one of the gentlemen of the press next to me was in danger of suffering a coronary.
I cannot wait to see Mischief Theatre’s other offerings of hilarity in the form of Peter Pan Goes Wrong and The Comedy about a Bank Robbery.
Side-splittingly, face-achingly humorous – a comedy must-see.
The Play That Goes Wrong is on at Milton Keynes Theatre till 18th March.
Sponsored Stories
Local News
-
Milton Keynes council apologise for incompletion of waste collection
Milton Keynes City Council have issued an apology to residents due to waste contractor’s inability to complete all collections this week and inform residents when to expect collection.
-
MKFM's Meet of MK has successful night at The Italian Sul Lago in Milton Keynes
MKFM's monthly networking event, the Meet of MK, was hosted at The Italian Sul Lago last night (25/07), with a great turnout of guests and an outstanding view overlooking Furzton Lake.
-
Milton Keynes City Council announces funding for local support services
Milton Keynes City Council is set to grant £266,000 to Citizens Advice Milton Keynes (CAMK) to support vulnerable residents during the cost-of-living crisis.
-
Milton Keynes City Council to boost local support for unpaid carers
Milton Keynes City Council is planning to create a new service that will make it easier for unpaid carers to get help and support.
-
Nutri Troops’ Golden Games to sweep through Milton Keynes this summer
Local 2012 Olympian and Places Leisure has partnered together to bring a new free multi-sport event, Golden Games, to Milton Keynes this summer for children aged 5 –11 years.
-
New Aldi store set to open in Milton Keynes next month
A new Aldi store is set to open next month in Olney Park, Milton Keynes, as it looks to bring its low prices to even more shoppers.
-
First Restaurant Tour in Milton Keynes set to launch
The Restaurant Tour is making its debut in Milton Keynes and is set to take place Sunday, October 6, at The Hub.
-
Milton Keynes charity hosts Brighter Tomorrow High Tea
The number one bereavement charity in Milton Keynes, Harry's Rainbow, are hosting a new fundraising event in Woburn that promises fun, networking, a fascinating speaker and a delicious afternoon tea.
-
Paula Radcliffe apologises for wishing luck to man who sexually assaulted Milton Keynes child in 2014
Paula Radcliffe has apologised for wishing “good luck” to a convicted rapist who sexually assaulted a Milton Keynes girl in 2014, when he competes for the Netherlands at the Paris Olympics next week.
-
Milton Keynes City Council to expand dedicated provision for children with autism
Milton Keynes City Council plans to invest more than £660,000 to expand the number of local school places and support for children with autism.
-
Milton Keynes residents invited to Blue Lagoon community safety event
Milton Keynes City Council is inviting residents to a community safety day on Friday (July 26) to learn about water safety and upgrades made to the Blue Lagoon nature reserve in Bletchley.
-
Free digital services drive half a million visits to Milton Keynes libraries
Free digital services at MK's libraries are one of multiple Milton Keynes City Council initiatives that have helped attract tens of thousands of extra visits to the city’s libraries in the past year.
Weather
-
Sat
21°C
-
Sun
23°C
-
Mon
25°C
-
Tue
26°C
-
Wed
24°C
- How To Listen To MKFM
- MKFM and GDPR Data Regulation
- Contact Us
- Complaints Procedure
- Competition Terms and Conditions
© 2020 MKFM Limited - Radio Made In Milton Keynes. Powered by Aiir.