Review: The Play That Goes Wrong, New Theatre, Cardiff

Returning to the New Theatre, where the original tour began in 2014, The Play That Goes Wrong is a highly physical comedy packed with finely-tuned farce and Buster Keaton inspired slapstick delivered with split-second timing and ambitious daring. The play introduces The ‘Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’ who are attempting to put on a 1920’s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong… does, as the accident prone thespians battle on against all the odds to get to their final curtain call.

There was a buzz in the air before the show started as members of the cast were running around the theatre looking for a dog called Winston. After they had been unsuccessful in their search they then proceeded to try and finish constructing the set on stage using an unsuspecting member of the audience.

Gradually as the audience hushed to watch the antics on stage. Chris the Chairperson (ably played by understudy Liam Horrigan) of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society came out to make the introductions  Within a few lines he had the audience in the palm of his hands laughing through many of the previous incidents that had happened to the society.

Following this hilarious start, the audience were warmed up and ready to watch the chaos that would ensue.  If anything could go wrong, it did, from doors not opening to the same doors not closing, Pictures and props fell off the walls and parts of the set collapsed with cast members on them.  Parts of the script repeated on a loop while backstage helpers or cast appeared on stage when they were not supposed to. There was barely time to breath in-between each joke.

It would be unfair to single out a cast member as each one played their part impeccably well.  Each showing excellent knowledge of comedy timing as well as physical prowess to perform their role while having to think about so many different things happening on stage.

Buoyed up by the excellent show,the audience were buzzing when they left due to their non-stop laughing. If you need cheering up this week then The Play that Goes Wrong is on at the New Theatre in Cardiff until Saturday 5th May 2018.