Duchess Theatre, London – until 30 August 2026
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
5*****
Ten years in the West End, and still no sign of Tom Cruise. Writers and original cast members Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields struck a vein of comedy gold that has been mined brilliantly. Mischiefs journey from a late-night slot at the Old Red Lion to the West End, television and global success has been phenomenal. This show is where it all started, and the orchestrated chaos and nonsense on stage still has audiences howling with laughter.
A wonderful parody of amdram, with loving nods to classic 1970s farce and television comedies, Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’s production of an Agatha Christie-lite murder mystery is still a delight. Multiple viewings may dull the shocks and surprises, but not the laughter. The new cast fit perfectly into the Mischief mould – with some lovely little flourishes of their own as the disastrous night of theatre progresses.
The precision and skill to stage this show never fails to astonish, and under Mark Bell’s slick direction, Nigel Hook’s innovative set becomes another character that just can’t stick to the script. The clunky plot of Murder at Haversham Manor is ripe for slapstick and physical comedy, and every situation is used for laughs. The tropes of murder mysteries and the bloody-minded persistence of the “amateur” cast that the show must go on create a non-stop parade of nonsense that carries the audience along on a wave of laughter.
Jack Hardwick is wonderful as Chris Bean, the overbearing driving force behind the Society. His frustration and despair as everything goes wrong builds brilliantly into a wonderful tirade at the audience. Robert Jackson as the overacting thesp Robert is a hoot, while Mitesh Soni is wonderful as the hapless Dennis playing the elderly butler – expertly hangdog as he mucks up with props and pronunciations. Jonty Peach is lots of fun as the much-abused murder victim and Charlotte Scott is delightfully OTT as leading lady Sandra. Tom Wainwright almost steals the show as Max – a terrible actor but a generous donor – with his wonderfully bizarre gestures and aversion to romantic scenes. The backstage crew of the society are visible throughout – before the play starts there is a search of the auditorium for a lost dog and a missing Duran Duran CD – and Izzy Edmunds-Clarke is hilarious as Annie, trying to cope with scenery mishaps and later being forced into an onstage role. Ronnie Yorke is fantastically dry as techie Trevor, veering from boredom to mischief as he entertains himself by mucking up cues and effects.
A treat for all the family, The Play That Goes Wrong continues to delight audiences. It’s smart, slick and silly – and still one of the funniest shows in the West End.