‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ Review

The Play That Goes Wrong is an Olivier Award-winning comedy which recently began its 2017 tour of the UK. It’s been widely critically acclaimed and received hugely positive appraisals since it began its time in the West End in 2015. It’s a very physical play, and very silly, but the one or two very clever touches are what really make the performance. This could perhaps have been adopted more; it would have made for a much subtler performance and developed good ideas that were only briefly grazed. There were also one or two moments that felt a little self-indulgent or dragged out, where the initial joke was ruined because it went on rather a few beats too long. However, for each of these moments it would swiftly and graciously redeem itself and it really is laugh-out-loud funny.

Although it perhaps didn’t live up to my expectations (most likely due to that fact that they were quite high), I was still quite pleasantly surprised and I definitely enjoyed it. One or two moments called to mind the ‘Legz Akimbo’ performances in League Of Gentlemen (an accurate, if obscure, reference. If you’re unfamiliar with League of Gentlemen, I highly recommend it), which is by no means a bad thing and those were probably the highlights, and that kind of feeling could certainly have been extended. But what The Play That Goes Wrong does, it does well, and as far as a very physical comedy goes, it does the job. By any means, it’s worth seeing, although if you go in expecting the world, you’ll be disappointed, and it’s best not taken too seriously.