The Play That Goes Wrong is a Hysterical Mess

What if absolutely nothing went right? 

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

That's the question asked in the seriously committed physical comedy The Play That Goes Wrong (TPTGW), the latest in the traveling Broadway series at Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theater.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

A play within a play, TPTGW is supposed to be a devastating performance of a murder mystery on a college theater campus (think Clue). Unfortunately it never achieves the gravitas it wants, because literally everything goes south from the second the curtains open. Sets fall apart, actors forget their lines, props are misplaced, technicians get distracted, effects come in at the wrong times (or don't come in at all) - go down the list of the worst case scenarios you can imagine for live performances, and something is going to be awry at every single stage of this accidental horror show. The result is a heavily physical comedy that can't help but get you laughing at some point; the plot is so absurdly over the top that you just can't believe what you're seeing. There are several special effects that even had me gasping in shock, and I was amazed at how committed the performers were to this show.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

A play like TPTGW only works if everyone is on board, and this cast is in it to win it. It's a taut group of eight performers, each of whom end up serving multiple roles in the play as events unravel and further support is needed to keep the show going. Annie Twilloil is the jack of all trades as the crew member who is forced on stage when the only female performer, played by a vivacious Sandra Wilkinson, is knocked out by a set piece. The two women have very different styles and duke it out, and I enjoyed the contrasting temperaments they displayed. Max Bennett takes clear delight in the absurdities, and his balletic movements made an odd contrast to the roaring dumpster fire of a production surrounding him. Jonathan Harris has the fewest lines as "victim" Charles Haversham, but his wordless stage exits were the funniest thing to me in the entire show. Robert Grove's carefully rehearsed basso voice is just the kind of outrageous exaggeration a show like this needs, and Trevor Watson's disgusting antics as the out of control stage hand shed unwelcome light behind the scenes. Dennis Tyde was charming as the memory-challenged butler Perkins, and Chris Bean has a smooth, lithe delivery as the only cast member worth their salt.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

If this show gives any value outside of comedy, it's in demonstrating the extreme importance of good, safe production design and technician work. It's easy to take for granted how hard it is to make safe, visually exciting set pieces. There is a horror to be found in the comedic antics of this group; if this were a real life scenario it would be extremely dangerous and even life threatening. I'd like to take this opportunity to give a resounding round of applause for the unsung heroes of our #tctheater community, the stage hands and set builders and costume and scenic designers who spend thousands of hours ensuring that every performer is able to safely act their part. It's unfathomably hard work that very rarely is adequately applauded, and The Play That Goes Wrong does an amazing job of demonstrating why those roles are so important.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

I also enjoyed the light TPTGW sheds on choreography. Too often people associate choreography and blocking solely with musicals; while musicals provide the most obvious example of choreography, it's also very important in plays. I think it's especially important in comedies, where timing is everything; in a physical comedy such as TPTGW, where the disintegrating set is almost a character of itself, is even more important than usual. There are several moments in this show where a person standing even an inch to the left or right could mean serious injury to their person, and this group clearly has run through every conceivable scenario to ensure they stay safe. It's a masterful physical performance and is sure to awe even the most jaded theater goer with how daring it collectively is.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

TPTGW is not a perfect play. It's a little too long for my taste (I think it could well do with an intermission-trimming haircut) and can become a little overwrought. We get the point after seeing a joke repeated two or three times - going up to five or six is overkill and unnecessarily time consuming. This is definitely on the farther end of the spectrum for "dumb" humor, so if physical comedy isn't your jam it might be a tougher sell. All that said though, I was very impressed with the amount of spectacle on stage and the sheer bravado of the choreography. If there were ever meaning behind the cliche phrases "all for one and one for all" and "the show must go on no matter the cost," this cast absolutely defines it. They are totally fearless and seem like they're having a lot of fun, and isn't that what live theater is supposed to be all about? This is a very different kind of Broadway play than usually tours through the Orpheum, so I think it's worth a look if you want a change of pace. For more information about TPTGW or to buy tickets, click on this link.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel