The Play That Goes Wrong

The Grand, Leeds

4/5

THE synopsis for this comedy is in its title — the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society attempts to put on a 1920s murder mystery only for everything to go wrong.

It’s a basic concept that gamely references at least half a dozen other plays and television shows including Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap in its staginess, Fawlty Towers in its repressed English anger and Bottom in the physicality of the slapstick comedy. 

Yet what Mischief Theatre Company’s comedy of disasters lacks in originality it compensates for with the ensemble cast’s brio, the production’s cartoonish details and the impeccable timing throughout. 

As the set slowly disintegrates around the cast’s ears they have to contend with whisky being poured down one speaking tube and coming out of another, “dead” bodies shuffling off the stage, missed lighting and sound cues and portraits of people called Charles showing a King Charles spaniel.

The sight gags are verbally matched as words are hopelessly mispronounced, lines get out of sync and actors are told: “You don’t look yourself tonight,” when they’re substituting for someone who’s just been knocked out. 

The Spinal Tap-type drummer of the show Florence becomes unconscious and is replaced so many times that it’s little wonder actor Charlie Russell appears to be chanelling the spirit of Rik Mayall when she cod-seductively thrusts out her hips and snarls her lip. 

Such insights into a character’s personality is repeated to inspired effect when Cecil (Dave Hearn) inappropriately bows and waves at the audience and when butler Perkins (Jonathan Sayer) drips with actorly contempt at having to be in such an amateurish production.

The cartoonish nature of the farce means that it could easily overstay its welcome but, while some of the jokes do fall flat, at a succinct 90 minutes The Play That Goes Wrong could well become a Friday night staple after a couple of pints.

Runs until July 12. Box office: 0844 848-2700.

Susan Darlington