By Katherine Beeson
It takes a very, very talented cast to put on a very, very terrible performance and do it with expert timing and panache. Fortunately, Waukesha Civic Theatre had such a cast in their newest production, “The
Play That Goes Wrong.” This show is simply a great and very funny night at the theater!
I can’t give you too many details as that would spoil the fun, but I can tell you that this play within a play revolves around a hapless Drama Society on its opening night of the 1920’s murder mystery “Murder at Haversham Manor.” We see stagehands darting around trying to finish the set while actors are milling around – one tardy thespian even makes his way through the audience, costume in hand! Nothing is finished; no one is ready.
This theater group is the typical “let’s put on a play” sort of local citizen troupe and the director even addresses the audience, confessing to all the past failures they have encountered. One of the leads, reminiscent of the small town talent in productions such as this, continues to break the fourth wall and takes bows every time he does something he feels is remarkable.
Mike Stickney, from left, Kally Kibitlewski, Nathan Broege, Emily Hintz, Kathryn Mooers, Jonah McGinnis, Jabril Rilley, Morgan Gates in a scene from Waukesha Civic Theatre’s “The Play That Goes Wrong.”
As the show goes on, we see just how poorly the Drama Society prepared for this show and how wonderfully Waukesha Civic enacted it!
Director Jennifer Dobby has done a simply fantastic job with this entire comedy romp!
For the audience, the fun begins before the show starts – actually, before most of them are in their seats, although I don’t believe they will realize it.
We didn’t!
This ensemble cast is phenomenal! Pay close attention to both programs to see which actor is playing the actor playing the character (or stagehand) in the “Murder at Haversham Manor” production! I’ve drawn lines in my program to try to be sure to identify the correct person but have given up – let me simply say kudos to each and every one of these actors!
On a side note, it is completely reasonable and realistic to have stagehands go the extra mile during mishaps in a production and these little bits were fantastic!
“The Play That Goes Wrong” runs through Nov. 13. Don’t miss it!!!