By Cailin Acosta in La Mesa, California
What happens when a theater company attempts to stage a murder mystery but cannot seem to get anything right? In The Play That Goes Wrong, the answer is an escalating series of mishaps that transform a conventional whodunit into a comedy of errors. The Highland Players of Helix Charter High School in La Mesa presented the farce Thursday, October 21 through Saturday, October 24 at the school’s MainStage Theater.
Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, The Play That Goes Wrong follows the fictional Cornley University Drama Society as its members attempt to perform The Murder at Haversham Manor. What should be a suspenseful mystery instead becomes a struggle against missing props, malfunctioning scenery, missed cues and other disasters. The actors remain determined to finish their show, even as the production seems increasingly beyond their control.
The play’s central joke is the contrast between the troupe’s serious intentions and the absurdity unfolding before the audience. The performers attempt to maintain the dignity of a traditional murder mystery while their theatrical world falls apart around them. Every new problem threatens to derail the story, and each effort to recover creates opportunities for further comedy.
Unlike a comedy driven primarily by witty dialogue, The Play That Goes Wrong depends heavily on physical performance and precise timing. Apparent accidents must be carefully choreographed, and actors must remain alert to one another’s movements and reactions. The audience sees a production in disarray, but the performers must work together to make that disorder appear convincing.
Directed by Paul Reams, the Helix production featured a Flub Cast that included Logan Rimington as Chris, playing Inspector Carter; Luke Eggleston as Robert, playing Thomas; Tea Brown as Sandra, playing Florence; Sawyer Merritt as Dennis, playing Perkins; Jackson Sapp as Max, playing Cecil and Arthur; and Owen Ehrlichmann as Jonathan, playing Charles.
The production’s backstage team included technical director Gregg Osborn, stage managers Alana Lara and Citrus Pacheco, costume designer BT Beason, lighting designer Nehemiah Yang, sound designer Lina Butcher and crew chief Alex Mueller-Gibbs.
Other members of the production team included Phie Arthur as Trevor, the stage manager; Aliyah Lee as Annie, the assistant stage manager; Sophia White as stage carpenter; and Emily Chiles as wardrobe chief. BT Beason also served as Foley artist.
The range of responsibilities represented by the cast and crew underscores the collaborative nature of a production built around things going wrong. Acting, stage management, sound, lighting, scenery and costumes must work in coordination to create the illusion of disaster while keeping the performance on track.
The play also offers a humorous perspective on theatrical ambition. The fictional actors are convinced that their murder mystery deserves a proper presentation, regardless of the mounting evidence to the contrary. Their refusal to give up becomes part of the comedy, illustrating how determination can sometimes make an already difficult situation even more entertaining.
For high school performers, the production presents an opportunity to develop ensemble skills that extend beyond learning lines. Physical comedy requires discipline, spatial awareness and trust. A scene depends on performers responding at the right moment, while technical elements must support the action and maintain the rhythm of the performance.
At its heart, The Play That Goes Wrong invites audiences to appreciate two performances at once: the fictional murder mystery and the disastrous attempt to stage it. The audience recognizes the absurdity, while the fictional actors behave as though their theatrical reputations are at stake. That tension gives the play its distinctive appeal.
The Highland Players’ production brings together students working in front of and behind the curtain, highlighting the teamwork required to bring a theatrical performance to life. The play’s premise also offers a reminder that live theater is unpredictable, and that perseverance is often necessary when plans do not unfold as expected.
Ultimately, The Play That Goes Wrong celebrates the resilience of performers and the collaborative work behind live theater. Its fictional troupe may struggle to deliver a successful murder mystery, but the effort to keep the show going is what makes the comedy work.
*
Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.