The Play That Goes Wrong at CPT

I have attended productions of The Play That Goes Wrong at PTC and HCT and, since it is one of the funniest shows I've ever seen, I was really looking forward to Centerpoint Theatre's version last night. I started laughing before the show even began because the sound and lighting technician was searching the audience for a missing dog and I don't think I stopped until the cast had to manually close the curtain at the end. The titular play that goes wrong is the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society's production of The Murder at Haversham Manor by Susie H. K. Bridewell. The cast includes Max (Tyler Clawson) as Cecil Haversham/ Arthur the Gardener, Chris (Michael Gardner) as Inspector Carter, Jonathan (Blake London) as Charles Haversham, Robert (Dylan Padilla) as Thomas Colleymore, Dennis (Mitchell Gibb) as Perkins the Butler, and Sandra (Niki Waite Padilla) as Florence Colleymore. The Director is Chris, the Stage Manager is Annie (Jenni Cooper), and the Sound and Lighting Director is Trevor (Jacob Sommer). The set is slowly falling apart, the props malfunction or go missing, the sound designer accidentally plays Duran Duran instead of the sound cues, the aforementioned missing dog is never found, one actor cannot stay still while playing the murder victim, one actor cannot remember his lines, one actor constantly breaks the fourth wall to milk the audience for applause, and the leading lady is injured halfway through the show and must be replaced first with Annie and then with Trevor (with scripts in hand) but the show must go on! The physical comedy is absolutely hilarious! My favorite scenes were when Cecil and Thomas have to answer a phone call with their hands full, when Sandra and Annie have a long and drawn out fight for the chance to play Florence, when Cecil and Thomas have a sword fight with broken swords, and when Arthur the Gardner and Trevor (who is playing Florence) have an awkward kiss. The cast is one of the best I have seen at CPT and they all have superb comedic timing but I especially enjoyed Gibb because of his facial expressions. The set is also one of the best I have seen at CPT because it falls apart so spectacularly, particularly the second floor study which is the source of much physical comedy. I highly recommend this show because watching this play fall apart is the perfect distraction from a world that seems to be falling apart. It runs on the Barlow Main Stage through February 12 (go here for tickets).

Note:  Since I've seen this play performed by three different theatre companies in as many years, it was really fun for me to notice the subtle differences in the productions. I particularly enjoyed the different ways a fire was staged.