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Overview
Synopsis
The Play That Goes Wrong begins before the curtain has even been raised, as the audience are present while the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society prepare to stage their new production – the 1920s murder mystery 'Murder at Haversham Manor'. However the set is not yet complete and there is no time to finish it off…..the show must go on!
With a murder (and a moving corpse) established from the beginning, the murder mystery gets into full flow. However, the props start to disappear, actors go missing and the set begins to collapse around, and often on, the cast. Mayhem ensues, the acting gets worse, and the set becomes increasingly dangerous, but the company struggle on regardless. The question is whether any of the cast and crew will remain standing, or conscious, by the final curtain?!
Show Information
- Book
- Jonathan Sayer , Henry Lewis , Henry Shields
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 2012
- Genres
- Comedy, Farce
- Settings
- Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- The opening night of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’s production of the murder mystery play ‘Murder at Haversham Manor’, Present Day
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Ideal For
- College/University, Mostly Male Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Includes Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
The Play That Goes Wrong was conceived and written by three graduates of LAMDA (The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art). They formed ‘Mischief Theatre’ company, specializing in scripted and improvised comedy. The Play That Goes Wrong first premiered at the London fringe venue, Old Red Lion Theatre, in 2012 before moving to Trafalgar Studios the following year. The show proved a huge critical and popular success, and it embarked on a UK tour before moving into the Duchess Theatre in
to read the context for The Play That Goes Wrong and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
Before the play begins, the stage crew of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society are making last minute adjustments to the set. However, they run out of time fixing the mantelpiece and are forced to take it off stage with them. Chris, the head of the drama company, announces the commencement of the murder mystery, “Murder at Haversham Manor”, missing his spotlight as he does so. He alludes to their previous, disastrous attempts at putting on productions and the hilarious casting
to read the plot for The Play That Goes Wrong and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Spoken |
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|
Ensemble |
Male |
Spoken |
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|
Ensemble |
Male |
Spoken |
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|
Ensemble |
Male |
Spoken |
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|
Ensemble |
Male |
Spoken |
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|
Ensemble |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Spoken |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher