**** I grew up when television was new and there were very few shows to watch. We always watched Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, and countless other shows where “slapstick” was an integral part of the show. Think back to the days of “The Three Stooges”, Abbot & Costello, and of course The Marx Brothers. Later in life, I had the good fortune of working Summer Stcok in Marengo Illinois at Shady Lane Farm Playhouse, where folks from surrounding areas would enjoy great fried chicken, drinks at the Hassafras Bar and wild, funny plays like “Up In Mabel’s Room”,” Getting Gertie’s Garter” and “Critic’s Choice”. These were plays, based on some funny films where “slapstick” was king and people watched them to forget all about the world in which they were living .
With what is taking place in our country right now, I believe that the time is just right for slapstick comedy to return, and evidently, the powers to be at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights are on the same page. They are presently doing “The Play That Goes Wrong” , written by Henry Lewis, Henry Shields & Jonathan Sayer. If you were someone who adored Month Python ( I know I did) and /or “Fawlty Towers”, you will find yourself in heaven for this two hour-ten minute production ( including a 10 minute intermission) that is about a play called “Murder at Haversham Manor” that is being put on and everything that can go wrong, does!
The play within a play is sharply directed by Johanna McKenzie Miller who plays part of the play straight ( as a mystery. whodunit?) The cast is amazing, in that they do things that are seldom done on a stage and “Live Theater ” certainly is filled with energy that you won’t see on most stages. The set by Angela Weber Miller is one that must fall apart and there are moments when the audience begins to fear for the performers. They handle it with grace and style and even when it appears to be falling apart, the actors hold their own, again, to perfection.
The story is about love and murder with every little trick that one can imagine. Actors get replaced by understudies and we , the audience are in on all the little asides. Ryan Armstrong portrays the police inspector who must put all the parts of the puzzle together
. Eric Amundson plays the corpses in the opening scene who gats tossed about. Teah Kiang Mirabelli is adorable, but when she is out, her role is handled by Natalie Henry, who was a stage hand props person until doing so. Ricaun Stewart is a marvelous Trevor, who is also a stagehand that takes on roles from time to time, Casey Ross is sheer perfection as Robert Grove, and David Blakeman handles Dennis Tyde just right. Max Bennett is deftly handled by Ryan Michael Hamman. There are four understudies, who I am pretty sure will get opportunities to take the stage.
The lighting ( Alexa Wiljanen) and sound (Sarah Ramos) are perfect with lots of great comic touches and the prop master truly did a great job in finding all that was needed for this one (Gigi Wndt). The amount of intimate and violent staging was handled by Chicago’s Nick Sandys’, who does it all!
“The Play That Goes Wrong” will continue Thru – Mar 29th with performances as follows:
Thursdays (3/5)2:00pm/ all others 7:30 p.m.
Price: $25-$49
Show Type: Comedy
Box Office: 847-577-2121
More Stories
“The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao” reviewed by Paul Lisnek, Curtain Call Chicago
“Carmen” reviewed by Frank Meccia
“Morning, Noon, and Night” reviewed by Mark Reinecke