A silly, absurd, and nearly over-the-top performance that never veers out of control. It’s all deftly handled with thoughtful and careful finesse by solid actors and a to-die-for creative team who understand physical comedy.
Witnessing the inventive demands of Henry Lewis, Henry Shields, and Jonathan Sayer’s delightfully slapstick and unpredictable script, along with the clever tricks of the Grand Theatre’s creative team to showcase an amateur performance falling apart both literally and figuratively, The Grand’s The Play that Goes Wrong becomes quite a workout for both actors and audience. We sweat and laugh at the comedy shtick because we’re glad we’re not experiencing it firsthand.
This is a play where everything must go right. The irony of it all – when everything goes wrong, as it inevitably does, hearts begin racing, eyes start darting around in wonder at what’s coming next. Timing is crucial. In this Grand production (both literal and figurative), every moment is perfectly synchronized for maximum impact.
Like all excellent workouts, this Play and its physical comedy are beneficial.
These actors believe in the authenticity of each moment, confronting the wild, chaotic, zany, and outrageous. It’s all performed as absolute truth, while managing physical demands—from pratfalls to forward rolls, from sliding to jumping, from being thrown around to squeezing into tight spaces- all with flair and bravado.
I can only imagine the exhaustion each must feel after the intensity of their performances. Although it’s inspiring to watch the actors’ stamina for more than two hours, I also felt tired when I left the theatre.
We’re watching the proverbial ‘play within a play’. The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society from the United Kingdom has been invited to perform ‘The Murder at Haversham Manor’ at London, Ontario’s Grand Theatre. Director of ‘Haversham’, Krista (Daniela Vlaskalic) proudly announces that this production marks her ‘debut’ as a director and she couldn’t be more pleased.
The irony behind Krista’s statement becomes clear during the pre-show. To future audiences, make sure you’re in the Spriet at least 20 minutes before to watch some of the theatre shenanigans taking place. If you’ve ever been involved in community theatre, you’ll connect immediately. There, that’s all I will say.
When ‘Haversham’ begins and the curtain rises, everything gradually begins to fall apart. Clearly, there’s a murder. There’s the excitement that comes from figuring out who committed it. Along with playing detective, there are mistaken identities, people pretending to be someone they’re not, and many secrets being kept until everything is finally revealed. Detailing everything here would spoil the fun for future audiences.
Beyata Hackborn’s 1920s two-storey manor set is spectacular. Probably the best word is stunning. Close attention to detail has been observed, right down to a decorative skull on one of the bookshelves and dust on some leather-bound books. Joseph Abetia’s costumes are impressive recreations of 1920s fashion, from the bright dresses worn by the women to the men’s tuxedos. Kimberly Purtell’s lighting design highlights specific moments to help create comic tension. Dave Pierce and Donoavan Siedle receive separate credits as composers and sound designers. That’s a smart choice because it seems a great deal of preparatory work has been done, from specific pre-show music and songs as the audience enters, right down to sound effects that must work perfectly on the first try.
Former Grand Artistic Director Dennis Garnhum directs ‘Play’ with a lively flair and spirited comedic style. Since the production was created in collaboration with Edmonton’s Citadel, Theatre Calgary, and Winnipeg’s Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Garnhum noted in his Director’s Programme Note how staging the show in all three cities (and now, London) has been a joyful and inspiring experience.
Garnhum’s joy and inspiration in directing translate well to the Spriet stage. The ten-member cast is a delight to watch as they perform lively hijinks reminiscent at times of the Keystone Cops.
John Ulyatt’s butler, Perkins, is hilarious as he struggles to remember his lines and mispronounces words. Both Jawon Mapp and Alexander Ariate are terrific, devilish blowhards as Charles and the pompous Jonathan, who portrays Charles Haversham. Vanessa Leticic Jetté’s Sandra (who plays Florence Colleymore) is a wide-eyed, highly emotional character in the Haversham murder case. Jetté and Honey Pham (as stagehand Annie) share some hilarious moments on stage together when it becomes clear why the two of them appear simultaneously.
Bernardo Pacheco’s Trevor (sound operator) has lost a CD that’s very important to him, and he advises us all (including the Grand audience) to keep an eye out for it. The CD does appear, and it invokes a good deal of laughter when it’s found.
Final Thought: Michael Frayn’s Noises Off is comparable to The Play That Goes Wrong. Both stories feature temperamental actors in unlikely, similar situations that move at a fast and furious pace. The characters from both plays handle the unlikely with flair and bravado.
Yet I still felt something was missing from this Grand production.
As I walked back to the hotel from the theatre, it hit me.
Teachers (yes, even the temperamental ones) are like actors in the classroom with a captive audience. Classroom situations often go awry with students, just as in the play. Even if a lesson fails, teachers persevere just like the actors in the play. Sometimes, classrooms look as if a bomb has gone off. But learning still happens, hopefully with some fun and amusement.
That’s what I take from this Grand Theatre’s production of Play. Yes, theatre can be a messy discipline and task. Sometimes it looks as if a bomb has been dropped on stage.
But if a play can help us learn something, even just a little—and hopefully with some laughter along the way—then going to the theatre is worthwhile.
The Play That Goes Wrong is worthwhile. It’s worth seeing.
Running time: approximately two hours and 10 minutes with one interval/intermission
The production runs to November 2 on the Spriet Stage at the Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond Street, London, Ontario. For tickets: grandtheatre.com or call (519) 672-8800.
The Play That Goes Wrong by Henry Lewis, Henry Shields & Jonathan Sayer
A revival of the Citadel Theatre, Theatre Calgary, and Royal Manitoba Centre’s 2024 production
Directed by Dennis Garnhum
Fight and Movement Director: Morgan Yamada
Set Designer: Beyata Hackborn
Costume Designer: Joseph Abertria
Lighting Designer: Kimberly Purtell
Composer and Sound Designer: Dave Pierce
Composer and Sound Designer: Donovan Seidle
Stage Manager: Jordan Guetter
Assistant Stage Manager: Lore Green
Apprentice Stage Manager: Gina Woodward
Performers: Alexander Ariate, Izad Etemadi, Vanessa Leticic Jetté, Andrew Macdonald-Smith, Jawon Mapp, Emily Meadows, Bernardo Pacheco, Honey Pham, John Ullyatt, Daniela Vlaskalic
