The Play That Goes Wrong - Duchess Theatre Review

What goes up must come down, and when it comes to Cornley Drama Society when can go right must go wrong. Mischief Comedy have made a name for themselves as the masters of funny, and their flagship show 'The Play That Goes Wrong' has called the Duchess Theatre it's home for the past eleven years, filling the space with laughter, chaos and calamitous silliness eight times a week, with this double role-ing play within a play proving to be a masterclass of all things slapstick hilarity.

Helmed by Director Chris Bean (Jack Hardwick), Cornley Drama Society are staging their most ambitious piece to date, whodunnit mystery The Murder at Haversham Manor and Chris is hopeful it will be their best show yet as he takes on the role of Inspector Carter. But here's the hitch. Dennis (played at this performance by Alex Blackie) is struggling with his lines as Perkins the butler, Sandra (Charlotte Scott) playing young love Florence is perhaps more suited to the role of drama queen, Robert (Robert Jackson) is milking his role as Thomas for all it is worth and Max playing Cecil (played here by Jake Burgum) is a tad too overexcited to be performing in front of a live audience. And that's before you mention Jonathan as Charles (played here by Hisham Abdel Razek) trying his best to stay on script, stage manager Annie (played at this performance by Louise Hoare) struggling to hold it together and tech manager Trevor (Ronnie Yorke) simply trying to his job as things spiral around him. The clue is in the title really, this is The Play That Goes Wrong after all.

Long story short, I am a huge fan of this production, so much so that this was my 48th trip, and you could look at me and say how could you watch it so many times and still find it funny, but the answer is simple. It is always funny. Not only is every joke golden, every moment of slapstick executed to perfection and the cast always on point, but this is a show that is always always different. Yes, the jokes are the same, and yes I know for the most part what is coming, but this is a show that gives its cast a remarkable level of freedom when it comes to making the characters their own. And when 3 understudies (or as Mischief calls them, Thunderstudies) are on (all playing combinations I hadn't seen before), and an actor from the 2023/24 cast returning to cover a role, this performance featured so many new moments and new laughs to enjoy.

Jack Hardwick's Chris Bean walks a fine line, hiding pent up frustration under an optimistic smile for as long as he can. A look to Max or Dennis, by they forgetting their lines or acting up for the audience, is enough is earn a laugh and as things go more and more wrong, the breakdown of a calm exterior is hilarious. Alex Blackie's facials as the forgetful yet trying his best Dennis are just so funny, and he gives Perkins the butler a bumbling meets hyperactive personality that is just delightful. Robert Jackson's Robert playing Thomas is larger than life and his breaking of the fourth wall is hilarious.

Charlotte Scott, Robert Jackson, Ronnie Yorke, Izzy Clarke and Jonty Peach

Jack Hardwick and Robert Jackson

Having played the role of Trevor, the somewhat grumpy and angry techie, in the UK Tour of Peter Pan Goes Wrong, at this performance Jake Burgum stepped into the polar opposite role of Max playing Cecil, the bundle of happy energy that raises a smile from the audience on every appearance. With comic timing on absolute point and a constant fizz of excitement throughout, Burgum gives a standout performance here. Charlotte Scott's Sandra as Florence oozes glamour meets determination to have that leading lady shine at all times, no matter what, bouncing off the energy of Louise Hoare's Annie brilliantly as Ronnie Yorke's Trevor earns many a laugh from start to finish. Hisham Abdel Razek, having been a thunderstudy in the 2024/25 cast, returns to the Duchess Theatre is a period to cover injury playing the role of Jonathan playing Charles, earning rapturous laughter and applause for his antics. Stuart Vincent, 2022/23 thunderstudy also returned to cover the stagehand/ASM role.

As things go more and more wrong, you have to commend not only the comedic skill of every cast member but also their physical clowning and slapstick abilities. Every thing that goes wrong has to be done right for the jokes to land and for the desired effect to be achieved, and from the delighted reaction of this audience on a Sunday afternoon, it was clear to see that this wrong was definitely a right.

With a cast all on their A game, and jokes just as funny as they always have been (both for a show that's been running 11 years and to a fan on her 48th visit), The Play That Goes Wrong is the target for comedy shows to aim for, a golden example, a masterclass of silliness meets genius and a mainstay of London's West End. Long may its reign of hilarity continue.