Review: ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ does so hilariously

A drama society attempts to perform a murder mystery play. That is the boiled-down synopsis of “The Play That Goes Wrong,” a Tony Award-winning comedy now on stage at Broadway in Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.

But that description fails to tell you of the nonstop hilarity that ensues in this two-act comedy still enjoying a long run in New York, and which I had the good fortune to see in London a few years ago. If you need a ton of laughs, you can’t go wrong if you go to “Wrong.”

To flesh out the premise a little more, the fictional Cornley University Drama Society is here to perform “The Murder at Haversham Manor” for a U.S. audience. As drama society President Chris Bean (Matt Mueller) tells us in his welcoming message before the murder mystery begins, this play is perfect because the number of characters aligns with the society’s size, something that hasn’t always been the case. Due to the limited number of actors in the society, Bean says one of their recent problematic productions had to be renamed “The Lion and the Wardrobe.”

When the action begins in this cleverly designed two-story English country manor set, the lights come up a bit too early, showing our murder victim, Charles Haversham, as played by Joseph Anthony Byrd, scrambling to position himself as a corpse on a settee. Other actors in the play within the play then encounter a stuck door that won’t allow them to easily enter the room and find Charles. Since this particular door wouldn’t stay shut before “The Play That Goes Wrong” even officially began, it’s quickly apparent that very little will go right all night, thanks to everything from missing props to on-set accidents to set pieces that don’t stay in place to mispronounced words to late sound effects.

One newcomer to the fictitious drama society (Jarred Webb having the time of his life in this role) has tremendous youthful enthusiasm at performing, which comes out in huge grins to the audience, wildly excessive gestures, and displays of athleticism.

Byrd, whose musical skills were apparent in the recent Marriott production of “The World Goes ’Round,” doesn’t get to show that talent here, but he, Mueller, Webb and the other comedic actors are all providing nonstop laughs. And it isn’t always just the audience who find this farce amazingly funny. Michael Kurowski’s character – who has written difficult script words on his hands – plays the butler in “The Murder at Haversham Manor,” and on press night, Kurowski struggled in one scene to maintain his composure, resulting in even louder laughs from those of us watching the craziness.

I don’t want to give away any surprising, guffaw-inducing events on stage, but I will say this – Mueller (the inspector in the murder mystery) and Jonah D. Winston (as the brother of Charles) have jaw-dropping physical dexterity. And the final three members of the cast – Colton Adams (as the drama society’s sound and lighting engineer who isn’t always paying attention), Kelly O’Sullivan (as the diva playing the murder victim’s fiancee), and Ernaisja Curry (as the constantly-called-upon stage manager) – deliver knockout, or even “knocked out” performances.

Before the well-deserved standing ovation brought us out of our seats, we’d been rolling on the floor laughing for much of the night.

I don’t usually comment on the Playbill itself, but when it makes me laugh before the show starts, it’s worth mentioning. Winston’s drama society actor, Robert Grove, for instance, has a half-page ad for Robert Grove’s School for Acting Perfectly, in which he says he can teach anyone the four approved acting skills of “Reacting, Gesturing, Emotioning and Acting.” Trust me on this – I’m not just emotioning when I say that this “Play That Goes Wrong” is the absolutely right antidote to winter blues.

[COVID-19 protocols: Audience members are required to be masked and show proof of full vaccination. Those with exemptions, including children, must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test. Vaccine cards and negative COVID-19 test must be shown along with a photo I.D. and valid ticket. No home tests are accepted, and children younger than 2 are not allowed into the theater.]

• Paul Lockwood is an enthusiastic singer, local theater actor, Grace Lutheran Church (Woodstock) and Toastmasters member, occasional theater reviewer, columnist, and past president of TownSquare Players. He also loves to laugh and to make people laugh.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “The Play That Goes Wrong”

WHERE: Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago

WHEN: Through Jan. 30

INFORMATION: www.BroadwayInChicago.com