THEATRE REVIEW: "The Play That Goes Wrong" at the Broadway Playhouse (Chicago, IL)

      On the evening of April 2nd, 2022, I saw Act One of the Henry Lewis / Johnathan Sayer / Henry Shields play "The Play That Goes Wrong" at the Broadway Playhouse in Chicago, IL.  Colton Adams, Matt Mueller, Joseph Anthony Byrd,  Jonah D. Winston, Michael Kurowski, Brennan Stacker, Jarred Webb, and Ernaisia Curry starred in the production, of which Nigel Hook was the scenic designer. 








     Act One of "The Play That Goes Wrong" consisted of a lot of slapstick hijinks that literally had the audience laughing out loud.  I would have gladly stayed to watch Act Two of the play, but I didn't exactly fit in the seat and there was an audience member seated to my left.  The seat to my right was empty, which resulted in me leaning to the right during the entire first act.  As I got up to leave, I saw a cluster of empty seats further back in the theatre.  I guess I still wanted to leave--since I left rather than switched seats.  While the Broadway Playhouse is further north than the other Broadway in Chicago venues, it requires more walking from the El Station, and I didn't know if I would have the energy to take that hike (so to speak) when the show ended at ten pm.  








     Anyway, if Act Two is as funny as Act One, than I highly recommend seeing it before the play closes in May.  When I wasn't laughing at the play itself, I was laughing because the audience was laughing.  I guess laughter really is contagious (that was a joke about laughter, not about infectious diseases).  "The Play That Goes Wrong" had its Chicago Premiere December 4th thru 16th, 2018 at the Nederlander Theatre (back when it was called the Oriental Theatre).  I had wanted to see it because my mom saw the Broadway Production and thought it was funny.  When I talked to her on the phone after seeing the first act of the play, she asked if they made Duran Duran jokes.  Yes, I told her, they did.  








          The Broadway Production of "The Play That Goes Wrong" ran from April 2nd, 2017 through January 6th, 2019, with previews having begun on March 9th, 2017.  The current production that is running at the Broadway Playhouse opened in December of 2021, and will have completed a five-month engagement when it closes in May.  I guess I am going to try to win the ticket lottery for this show again (this time for a weekday or weeknight performance) so I can see Act Two.  









________________





     On the evening of April 7th, I saw an entire performance of "The Play That Goes Wrong," after winning the ticket lottery the evening before.  Before I saw the show the first time, my mom suggested seeing the play on a weeknight, so I would have empty seats on either side of me.  So obviously I went and saw the show on a Saturday evening and left during intermission because I was so uncomfortable.  This time, I won a ticket for a weeknight performance, and was hopeful I could stay until the very end.  The seat I was assigned was in a crowded section, so before everyone around me got too settled in, I moved from the front section of the theatre to the back section.  Surprisingly, that section ended up getting crowded minutes before the show began, but I still had empty seats on either side of me this time.  









     Act one was much the same as the the other night I saw the show.  Some of the actors gave more animated Act, comedic performances than last time.  Act Two was a continuation of the slapstick hijinks Act One offered, but to a much more extreme degree. Actors in "the show within the show" kept getting hurt in laughable ways while the set kept falling down around them.  I shudder to think about the grueling task of putting the set back together after each performance--especially on days when the show is performed twice.  




     

          It was worth seeing the play again to see Act Two.  I felt like I missed out by leaving halfway through the other night.  The night I win the ticket lottery to "The Play That Goes Wrong" again, I also won a ticket for "Moulin Rouge" a second time.  However, since I saw that show the whole way through the first time, I saw no reason to see it again--at least, not now.  Also, seeing evening performances has kept me out late, and I'm not sure my cat knows what to make of it.  I see him watching from the window as I come home-,standing sentry if you will.  I probably will avoid seeing evening performances if they coincide with Cubs games.  The train ride downtown was really crowded for part of the way--I think because a Cubs game just let out.  All the more reason to stay home and not confuse my cat.  That is, until "Fiddler on the Roof" and "To Kill a Mockingbird" are in town.

 



Comments

  1. UnknownApril 5, 2022 at 11:19 AM

    Liked the review. Can't wait to read the Second Act review if you see it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownApril 8, 2022 at 7:33 AM

    Enjoyed the review of the full play, the illustrations, and the personal notes. Well done!

    ReplyDelete

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