The company of the Olivier-winning farce The Play That Goes Wrong was set to celebrate its 3,000th performance at The Duchess Theatre January 18 when they were informed at curtain call that it was actually the 2,999th performance.
To rectify the situation, the cast performed a one-minute version of the comedy. Watch the sped-up rendition above.
Co-written by Mischief company members Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, The Play That Goes Wrong is the longest-running play at The Duchess Theatre (the theatre opened in 1929) and the longest-running comedy in the West End.
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The company currently features Tomisin Ajani as Trevor, Jaouhar Ben Ayed as Dennis, Ashh Blackwood as Annie, Anya de Villiers as Sandra, Tendai Humphrey Sitima as Robert, Scott Hunter as Max, Oliver Mott as Jonathan, and Mikhail Sen as Chris with Roisin Fahey, Charlie Richards, Stuart Vincent, Emily Waters, and Jack Whittle. Mark Bell directs.
The Play That Goes Wrong introduces The Cornley University Drama Society, who attempt to put on a 1920s murder mystery, but everything that can go wrong does, as the accident-prone thespians battle on to get to their final curtain call.
The production also has set designs by Nigel Hook, costumes by Roberto Surace, lighting by Ric Mountjoy, original music by Rob Falconer, and sound design by Andy Johnson. The associate director is Sean Turner, and the resident director is Amy Milburn.
The Broadway production played 27 previews and 737 regular performances at the Lyceum, winning the 2017 Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Play. The production subsequently reopened Off-Broadway at New World Stages, where it continues.
The Play That Goes Wrong is produced in the West End by Kenny Wax Ltd and Stage Presence Ltd.