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The Play That Goes Wrong

Why see The Play That Goes Wrong?

The Worldwide Phenomenon

Scripted by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields, (otherwise known as the minds behind Mischief Theatre) The Play that Goes Wrong landed in London at the Old Red Lion Theatre in 2012, before moving to Trafalgar Studios in 2013, where it was heralded by Telegraph theatre critic Charles Spencer as the funniest thing he'd seen since Noises Off. After winning Best New Play at the 2015 Olivier Awards, the first of four countrywide tours soon followed, before the show made the jump across the pond in 2017. 

In the years since, TPTGW has served as a cornerstone of the still-growing Mischief Theatre empire, which has gone on to dominate the West End with more bonkers productions, including Magic Goes Wrong, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery, and Christmas panto send up - Peter Pan Goes Wrong. They've even made the jump to TV, with The Goes Wrong Show debuting on BBC 1 in 2019.

What's The Play That Goes Wrong About?

After benefiting from a large and sudden inheritance, the inept and accident-prone Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society attempts to put on a 1920s murder mystery play in the West End. But as the hopeless thesps discover to their horror, everything that could go pear-shaped, does, with hilarious consequences. Corpses that can't lie still, props that disappear and reappear at the wrong time, and a set that is literally falling apart will all ring true to any amateur performers out there (although hopefully, not quite to this degree). Couple all this with a Butler whose talent for garbling simple phrases is rivalled only by Fawlty Towers' Manuel and you have a production that probably won't be up for any Olivier Awards anytime soon...

Key Information

Audience

Suitable for ages 10+

Run Time

Two hours and five minutes including a 20 minutes interval

Dates

Open Run

Upcoming Performances

Cast

  • Jordan Akkaya as Trevor
  • Daniel Fraser as Chris
  • Joe Bolland as Jonathan
  • Daniel Anthony as Dennis
  • Owen Jenkins as Robert
  • Jay Olpin as Max
  • Billie Hamer as Annie
  • Hannah Sinclair Robinson as Sandra

Further cast

Understudies Alex Bird Munashe Chirisa Colm Gleeson Dumile Sibanda Alice Stokoe

Creative

  • Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shield
  • Mark Bell
  • Nigel Hook
  • Ric Mountjoy

Awards

2015 Olivier Awards

  • Best New Comedy

Reviews

Our review

choas slapstick hilarious

Celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year, The Play That Goes Wrong has cemented its place as the longest-running comedy show in West End history. Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields, it has been a worldwide comedic sensation since

Daniel

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Customer reviews

10 reviews, average rating: (4.1 Stars)

Ann Cummings

Funny rib aching hilarious fun

Just go it’s funny funny funny you’ll come out feeling uplifted and full of joy they work so hard to get things wrong it can’t be easy but they make it look exactly that ... Read more

Linda Couper

Just great fun

Great way to spend an evening, full of laughs and a great cast. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Jools

Just the most hilarious thing I've ever seen!

If you like to laugh your socks off, this is a most worthwhile way to spend an evening. Clever script, superb timing from the cast and an excellent set combine to make this the show I've laughed at the most, ever. And I've been a theatre-goer for the best part of 40 years. There's nothing really to offend a family audience, though parents wouldn't like their youngsters emulating the drinking habits of the actors, so be warned! This is a small theatre and all seats should have an excellent view. ... Read more
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