If everything was wrong, then then we don’t want to be right

Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre presents The Play That Goes Wrong – the distinctly British-humoured farce by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields which opened in 2012 in London, where it continues its run, as well as off-Broadway in the USA.

The premise for the chaotic action has a rather second-level community theatre group performing a complicated 1920s murder mystery entitled The Murder at Haversham Manor. The group’s under-talented cast has difficulties from the start as they deal with a myriad of disasters with props, the set, cast mates, costumes, lighting and sound cues, and the script. Nothing goes as intended and hilarity ensures – especially if you are attuned to what I would have to call an exaggerated style of Brit humour. Think Noises Off meets Fawlty Towers.

The cast is truly amazing at performing their disjointed roles. The high-energy and intentionally over-acted frat falls, sight gags, muggings, line readings, and physical comedy require a precision and exactness that is really quite admirable to see. Director Brett Mutter, who appeared in IRT’s 2025 production of the show, has set down a difficult and innovative stream of actions for his formidable ensemble.

Chris (Nic Nightingale), Jonathan (Jesse Bhamrah), Sandra (Logan Hill), Robert (Topher Embrey), Annie (Nathalie Cruz) and Max (Joey Boos) in a scene from The Play That Goes Wrong. (Photo by Rob Slaven / IndyGhostLight.com)

This entire set of actors and actresses are to be congratulated for their strenuous efforts – personally, I think I would need a two-day gap between performances just to recover for the next show.

I must also highlight the technical aspects at work here. Eric Barker’s set plays a vital part in the show’s success. Designed to break, buckle, and collapse, it works extremely well on all accounts. Costumes by Meghan Warren and wigs by Drew Bryson are also on the mark.

Bottom line: To my taste (and Mrs. K’s) the production is a bit over-sized, albeit impressive in its scope. Some humour I get, some I do not. Regardless, the sold-out audience certainly enjoyed the mayhem and their cheers and raves at the curtain call (and throughout the show) were no doubt rewarding to all the company members.

Beef and Boards’ The Play That Goes Wrong continues through Aug. 23. Show times and reservations can be found at BeefAndBoards.com or you may call the box office at (317) 872-9664.

Read more great play reviews from A Seat on the Aisle at asota.wordpress.com.