The Play That Goes Wrong
After a remarkably dreadful, disappointing Network on Broadway, we all went, granddaughters included, to see The Play That Goes Wrong. It was written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields, and directed by Mark Bell.
It is, simply, the most uproariously, continually, consistently funny play I’ve ever seen at any level. From the pre-curtain antics of the cast—which includes hauling up an audience member to the stage to help with the constantly disintegrating set—to the two acts and conclusions, I didn’t stop laughing, and during intermission we kept repeating our favorite lines to each other.
I’ve seen A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum with the original cast, and the revival, and have seen hundreds of plays at all levels in four countries that I can recall. And this is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen in terms of continuous, gut-splitting laughs. There is a seemingly impromptu digression of the lead, breaking the fourth wall, which I suspect is actually scripted, but was hysterical. I imagine it’s what every actor in a horrible play wants to shout at a critical crowd. “Shut up!” he screams, “Stop laughing! This isn’t television, I can see you!!” He advises us that if we really want to see something bad, move up the block and see the musical about King Kong!
This closes in January, though I hear it’s going off-Broadway. If that’s true, I’m taking my clients to it during our March meeting.
If you’re in New York, see this. It’s drop-dead brilliant. And I mean that literally!
