WaterTower Theatre Presents The Play That Goes Wrong

by Henry Lewis, Henry Shields, & Johnathan Sayer

Directed by Harry B. Parker

Assistant Director Alejandro Saucedo

Asst Director/Dialects Coordinator Christina Cranshaw

Asst Director/Fight Coordinator Mitchell Stephens

Production Stage Mgr Christopher Trevino

Asst Stage Mgr Breanna Gaddis

Scenic Design Bryan Stevenson

Lighting Design Aaron Johansen

Sound Design Emilee Biles

Costume Design Aaron Patrick Declerk

Props Design Lynn Lovett

Covid Compliance Officer Elizabeth Kensek

My thoughts on The Play That Goes Wrong… or wrong has never been so right!

To do an in depth review of The Play That Goes Wrong would be a disservice to anyone going to see it, because the fun of the show is all the unexpected, fall out of your seat funny events of the play.

The basic premise is that it is the opening night of The Comley Polytechnic Drama Society’s production of the murder mystery play Murder at Haversham Manor. Of course, as the title implies, everything that can go wrong will go wrong. Almost every comic situation you can think of takes place on the stage and the proper British mystery is turned on its head. I know the phrase laugh riot is overused, but that is exactly what this play is. The laughter is literally nonstop from the time you enter the theater until the curtain call.

This must be one of the best rehearsed casts ever as everything in this play depends on timing. Drew Denton, Parker Gray, Alison Whitehurst, Hanna Bell, Mark Shum, Zak Reynolds, Francisco Grifaldo, and Blake Henri pull off every gag with precision. On the evening I attended, understudy Micah Brooks was on for Parker Gray and there was nary a glitch. I kept thinking these actors need to go to New York and pump some new life into “Saturday Night Live.” Every one of them is a comic marvel who will probably require chiropractic care after the show closes.

However, the real star of this show is Bryan Stevenson’s set that is just about as in motion as the actors. Doors come off, windows break, walls tumble, a secret entrance is revealed, and the second story very nearly becomes the first. This is a set that deserves a standing ovation.

Director Harry B. Parker knows how to turn farce into high art and The Play That Goes Wrong is a gem of a comedy. Tickets are scarce for the remainder of the run at the WaterTower, but there is a wait list. The very good news is that the production will move to Stage West in Fort Worth next, and you may be able to catch it there. Everything is right with The Play That Goes Wrong.