The Play That Goes Wrong

Devonshire Park Theatre, Compton Street, Eastbourne

Monday, June 30 to Saturday, July 5

Henry Lewis from the Mischief Theatre Company talks to Duncan Hall about the spoof whodunnit that’s wowing audiences

With its colourful characters,simple sets and gripping storylines the Agatha Christie-style murder mystery is a common favourite among amateur dramatic groups.

But The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society will show staging a whodunnit isn’t necessarily as easy as everyone thinks.

Starting out as a London Fringe show by Mischief Theatre Company back in 2013, The Play That Goes Wrong has grown into a two-act comedy wowing audiences and critics at the Edinburgh Fringe and the West End.

Now, ahead of a transfer to London’s Duchess Theatre, the farce is making its Eastbourne debut.

“We have all come from a youth theatre background,” says Henry Lewis, Mischief’s artistic director. “We had our share of time in amateur and community theatre. There are lots of things in there which we had heard about going wrong in real-life shows.”

Growing out of an improv theatre group at London Academy Of Music And Art (LAMDA), the first version of The Play That Goes Wrong was workshopped by the cast, creating characters that were extreme versions of themselves.

The initial inspiration had come from short 20-minute plays based around journalist Michael Green’s classic book on amateur theatre The Art Of Coarse Acting, which included tips about the parts to play so an actor could sneak to the pub early, and the best ways to upstage the rest of the cast.

“The great thing about basing the play around a murder mystery is people understand what the genre is,” says Lewis. “The audience instantly gets what is supposed to happen.

“When farce goes wrong it’s often because people approach it in the wrong way. We approach it like any other piece of theatre or drama – it’s all about playing it for the truth of it, making sure it’s real, and not trying to make it funny.”

The Play That Goes Wrong also sees the backstage activity filter on to the stage, with the stage manager putting the finishing touches to the set as the audience first walks in.

As the play has grown the characters have developed – so much so that the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society is set to return this Christmas with Peter Pan Goes Wrong – a take on the JM Barrie classic.

“Anyone who has seen both plays will see cross-overs and off-stage relationships return,” says Lewis. “The characters are all there playing different parts – the guy who plays the detective in The Play That Goes Wrong is now Captain Hook in Peter Pan.

“It’s been great to have such a long period to make those characters as fleshed out as possible. Every time we have re-staged the play we have re-rehearsed it and made a few tweaks and changes.”

And there is more to come with the West End transfer.

“There are a couple of big new stunts that we want to put into the show,” says Lewis. “We are adding even more production value and danger to it, so we can have a big finish.”

Essential info

  • Starts 7.45pm, 2.30pm
  • Matinees Wed and Sat
  • Tickets from £14.50.
  • Call 01323 412000