Posts with the label Benjamin McMahon
Showing posts with label Benjamin McMahon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Benjamin McMahon. Show all posts
Tuesday, 30 January 2018
The Play That Goes Wrong (UK Tour), Storyhouse | Review
The Play That Goes Wrong (UK Tour)
Storyhouse
Reviewed on Monday 29th January 2018 by Becca Cromwell
★★★★★
The Mischief Theatre company, founded in 2008, is well known for providing family entertainment and great comedy and they certainly didn't disappoint with the UK Tour of the West End hit, The Play That Goes Wrong. This is not the first time their shows have been on tour, with Peter Pan Goes Wrong being a massive hit in 2014. I went in with high expectations.
Before the house lights went down, members of the cast were walking around the auditorium asking the unsuspecting audience members whether they had seen a dog. Causing mischief before the show even started. They asked an audience member to help them fix the mantlepiece on the stage, which in due course turned to chaos.
As the lights dim, we are introduced to Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, who are putting on a performance of Murder at Haversham Manor... The society is famed for its bad productions! They begin the first act of their play, and it all goes downhill from there and side-splitting hilarity ensued.
With very few cast members, I was surprised at how well put together the whole show was. The stunts and physical work especially were extremely impressive from all cast members.
Kazeem Tosin Amore played Robert (Thomas Colleymoore) and gave an impressive performance. His gravity-defying stunts in the study were envious!
Bobby Hirston as Max (Cecil/Gardener) was incredibly funny, with his performance gaining laughs more or less every minute he was onstage.
Jake Curran brought the Director/Inspector to life with great vigour. With great physical work and hilariously over the top acting as the Inspector it was certainly a memorable performance!
Catherine Dryden played techie turned star Annie, who saves the show in its moment of need and was hilarious in doing so. Definitely a standout of the show.
Steven Rostance gave a hilarious performance as the 'murdered' Charles Haversham, who gained large applause when he finally did get the right scene.
Elena Valentine played Sandra (Florence Colleymoore), and gave an exciting performance, particularly towards the end in the 'two Florences' scene.
A special mention must go to Gabriel Paul, who played Trevor, the Duran Duran loving sound technican. Hilarity ensued every time Gabriel entered the stage.
Benjamin McMahon portrayed Dennis (Perkins) well, using superb and memorable facial expressions throughout.
Fair to say I enjoyed the show. The rest of the audience loved it too, with many leaving with tears of laughter still rolling down their cheeks.
The use of set was fantastic. Everything was so well organised and well timed that pieces repeatedly falling down should not have been as funny the second or third time round, but were! Pieces of set collapsing, blowing up and coming off are not easy to time right on top of saying lines and remembering to act, so the tech team and stage hands and directors need their very own round of applause for this alone.
The cast took their bows to extremely well deserved rapturous applause. Bravo to them all!
The Play That Goes Wrong is on a major UK tour until October, so grab your tickets while you can!
Photo Credit: Robert Day
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