By Alayna Een and Eliza Een, Front Row Reviewers
The Utah Shakespeare Festival presents The Play that Goes Wrong in the Randall L. Jones Theatre, and it is the perfect break from iambic pentameter and the tragedies playing next door. Veteran theater-goers are likely to have seen a misstep or accident onstage before, but rarely do you see—and cheer for—so many in the same performance, and that is the paradoxical charm of The Play that Goes Wrong. This comedic meta-play written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields follows a fictional theatre troupe, the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, which is putting on a mystery play called “The Murder at Haversham Manor.” As the play unfolds, things keep going wrong! There are prop and scene mishaps, missed and mixed-up lines, actor substitutions, crew kerfuffles, and more. The mischief keeps the audience on the edge of their seats and roaring with laughter.
The leader of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society is played by Rhett Guter (Chris, play director and Inspector Carter). Guter is excellent in this role, combining the pomp and pretension of a self-assured character with providing endless opportunities for the audience to laugh at his “mistakes.” His distinctive accent is impeccable and consistent—hilariously so. While there is a lot of physical comedy in this show, Guter’s performance stands out with the memorable “descending the staircase” scene and his roll out of the elevator and into the pillar—which must be executed incredibly precisely. His fourth-wall breaks are some of the funniest moments of the show.
Jeffrey Marc Alkins (Jonathan, Charles Haversham) is one of the liveliest corpses you’ll ever see! Alkins relies a lot on physical and situational comedy as he has few intentional lines in the first half of the show. He is extremely expressive with small movements—head shakes, cringes, and finger flexes—which heightens the comedy of his performance. Kilt-clad actor Blake Henri (Robert, Thomas Colleymoore) frequently finds himself at the center of the splash zone. His line delivery for things that are manifestly (and situationally) untrue really brings the paradox to the forefront and is a consistent delight for the audience.
The word-fumbling fool, Dennis, is played by Chris Mixon (Perkins). Mixon is the only one of the actors who reaches his breaking point in response to his many mistakes, which makes the character feel real and pitiable and adds some depth to the shtick-focused show. The accident-prone prima donna, Sandra, is played by Nazlah Black (Florence Colleymoore) who shows a passion for the spotlight and commitment to their role. Black’s confidence and stage presence are excellent in the first half, and their Tom and Jerry style antics with Melinda Parrett (Annie the stage manager) in the second half are hilarious. Parrett’s innovative problem solving and reactions to things as they go wrong win the support of the audience from the very start of the show.
Jim Poulos (Max, Cecil Haversham/Arthur the Gardener) becomes the audience’s darling with his dopey comedy bits and ego-boosting fourth wall breaks. Poulos commits to all of his bits in a way that is both awkward and endearing, which shows that there was no “nonsense” in this casting. Cameron Vargas (Trevor the lighting and sound operator) has an initial apathy for the events onstage, but later shows great passion for this part in patching the show together. His “god mic” interruptions are completely believable and add to the chaos of the moment. Laura Brennan and Grace Wissink (stage hands) add to the ambiance before the play and at intermission in addition to their roles as they run around searching for a dog and trying to tie up loose ends.
The stellar cast and crew at the Utah Shakespeare Festival work with precision to ensure the safety of all during the show’s many shenanigans, and the production is a testament to their incredible director (Geoffrey Kent), scenic designer (Jason Lajka), technical director (Richard Girtain), and prop crew (Benjamin Hohman). Lajka and Hohman deserve a standing ovation for their work in crafting a set and props that “go wrong” in the right way throughout a demanding performance schedule. Each actor has signature costume pieces which help identify them as they change onstage roles and show great detail, thanks to costume designer Lauren T. Roark. The melodramatic red light and ominous music whenever the word “murder” is said onstage is one of my favorite examples of the excellent lighting and sound design (William Kirkham and Lindsay Jones, respectively) throughout the show. I highly recommend that you take the time to attend the free production seminars or sign up for a backstage tour (available alternating mornings throughout the festival) to better appreciate the incredible work that goes into making the festival’s most expensive—and fun—show this year.
What makes this show so fun is that there is always someone in the audience seeing it for the first time. Their surprise and energy fuels the actors and the rest of the audience, making every “mistake” funnier than the one before until the finale—which truly brings the house down. There are minor moments of adult humor, but this is a play that can be enjoyed by audience members of many ages. So make the right choice and stop by the Utah Shakespeare Festival to see The Play that Goes Wrong!
Utah Shakespeare Festival presents The Play that Goes Wrong by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields
Randall L. Jones Theatre, 35 S 300 W, Cedar City, UT 84720
Plays on select dates until October 7, 2023, 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM
Tickets: $30–85 (no children under age 6)
Contact: 435-586-7878 or 1-800-PLAYTIX, guestservices@bard.org
Utah Shakespeare Festive Facebook Page
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