REVIEW: The Play That Goes Wrong dazzles at Theatre Calgary
iPhoto caption: Photo courtesy of Theatre Calgary.
There are loud audiences, and then there was the opening night audience of Theatre Calgary’s The Play That Goes Wrong.
The evening was a sustained symphony of laughter, applause, gasps, and guffaws. And though I’ve never been a sports fan, sitting in the house of the company’s premiere production of their 2024/25 season, I started to see the appeal; there’s something uniquely uplifting about being surrounded by a crowd of people united by the common hope of seeing the players succeed.
An ambitious collaboration between Theatre Calgary, the Citadel Theatre, and the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, The Play That Goes Wrong, by British comedy trio Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields, follows the fictional production of “The Murder at Haversham Manor,” a 1920s, Christie-esque murder mystery chock-full of the usual suspects. From the moment the play begins, however, shit hits the fan. (Surprise!) What ensues is a thrumming two hours of comedy mayhem featuring a crumbling set, fumbled lines, and multiple performer casualties. We watch as the cast and crew scramble to put out metaphorical and literal fires, all in the effort of ensuring the show goes decidedly on.
If you need a reason to see The Play That Goes Wrong, let it be its incomparable design. The show’s got everything, from a towering, multi-level set to pyrotechnics, infinite props, and beyond. Set and prop designer Beyata Hackborn’s work is truly a brilliant piece of engineering. Designed to optically fail at every turn, what makes the design so impressive is its ability to malfunction safely. Actors confront relentless physical mishaps and yet, no one jumps up to help. Why? The design work is impenetrable and provides us little reason not to trust in it.
The same can be said for the show’s performances. Despite watching the actors stumble and flounder to no foreseeable end, the anxiety they face does not extend past the (in this case, very flimsy) fourth wall. This boils down to the razor-sharp intentionality that underscores the entire show. When things inevitably go wrong, we know it’s because they are meant to, and thanks to the steady mastery of the ensemble’s performance, we are given the privilege of leaving all doubts at the door.
A standout performer amongst the all-around stellar cast is Andrew MacDonald-Smith in the role of Max, the actor who plays both Cecil (the victim’s brother) and Arthur (the manor’s gardener). The character’s use of mnemonic gestures to get through large chunks of script is unexpected and hilarious. What is perhaps even more entertaining though, is his tendency to celebrate any and every onstage success he has. Whether jumping for joy or going for a first-row-long train of high fives, the opening night audience couldn’t help but share his delight, and MacDonald-Smith was the recipient of many rounds of applause throughout the evening.
I also feel compelled to mention Alexander Ariate, whose depiction of murder victim Charles is anything but lifeless. (With an eye toward discretion, I urge you to witness first-hand just what I mean.)
From one disaster to the next, director Dennis Garnhum proves an unshakeable pilot who steers the 2012 script with surety and rigor. As an audience member, it’s sometimes difficult to pinpoint where the script ends and the direction begins, but I believe it’s safe to say that the two operate in tandem. Punchy text paired with a shameless commitment to hilarity make for comedy crown jewels that even the most theatre-averse could enjoy.
And that’s what makes Theatre Calgary’s The Play That Goes Wrong such a strong season opener — its wide point of entry for audiences of just about any theatre background. In their second year of their “Theatre For All” initiative, the programming of this play positions the company firmly within its mandate. A metaplay with a paper-thin plot, The Play That Goes Wrong’s lack of structure and a reliance on pure humour fosters a performance that is fun and easy to digest. Even bits that are repeated over and over allow for a gradual learning curve while simultaneously creating a collective language in the room. The audience becomes a community that is “in” on the gag through the extended inside joke of a play we’re all privy to. It’s a clever tactic used to make you feel like a part of something larger than life, and it sure as hell works.
The Play That Goes Wrong is a sparking-flaming-smoking car crash that you just can’t take your eyes off of. A fiery, racing delight, this is not a production to be missed.
Intermission reviews are independent and unrelated to Intermission’s partnered content. Learn more about Intermission’s partnership model here.
Eve Beauchamp
Eve Beauchamp (they/them) is an award-winning Calgary-based theatre artist, playwright, and graduate of the BFA in Acting at the University of Ottawa. They are the co-artistic director of Levity Theatre Company and primarily create work that explores queerness, capitalism, and neurodivergence through humour, poetry, and storytelling. Currently, you can find them pursuing their Master of Fine Arts in Drama at the University of Calgary.
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