The last year or so at the Legacy Theater has been a slow evolution in a study in what works, and what may not, on the small stage. Even getting past the quality of a production, at Legacy, the stage is very much a character that can both limit a production or enhance the viewing experience.
Years ago, I made the mistake of seeing The Book of Mormon on Broadway from a second row seat; its simply too close to get the full scope of the production. But that issue doesn’t exist at Legacy; from any seat, you can see the entirety of the scene without moving your head, and while there will be sets that extend slightly out of view, it doesn’t significantly alter the experience.
And in this, the stage size at Legacy can be either a blessing or curse, depending on the production.
With The Play That Goes Wrong, it’s a blessing. A farce that slowly builds in absurdity is consistently funny, surprising and over a great night at the theater. From the opening moments a smile forms on your face, and it simply never leaves. This may be the best production at Legacy to date.
For many reasons. Yes, the source material is Broadway quality, with legions of loyal fans. That helps. But so does casting and direction, and in this case, it appears Keely Baisden Knudsen has made all the right moves. It’s hard to call out any of the particular cast members, all excel in their roles. The ability to deliver lines perfectly while falling from multiple levels, walking into poles, running in circles, or holding hands to form a telephone line are all on display, and the timing and delivery is perfect.
The Play That Goes Wrong is a play about The Murder at Haversham Manor, the play-within-a-play which doesn’t mean much until you are trying to flip through the playbill to find out which actor has which role. The playbill lists the name of the actual actor, and the role he or she has as an actor in the first play, who then needs a second playbill to determine who that fictional actor is playing in the play-within-a-play. Sound confusing? It kinda is, but just know that in your playbill is an insert, and it’s well worth arriving a few minutes early to read; it’s very funny. Kudos to the author.
The story doesn’t matter. Seriously. There is no point giving a synopsis. So I won’t. All that matters are the jokes and surprises, which range from cute to laugh-out-loud funny; this was perhaps the most energized I have seen the typically reserved Legacy audience. The laughs start early and don’t stop; they continue even during intermission.
Also a big shout out to master carpenter Rich Burnham for a set that is a major character in the production, properties designer Colleen Callahan, production stage manager Sarah Pero and assistant state manager Gillian LeBlanc. Throughout the show, the stage offers surprise after surprise, and its design adds tremendously to the production.
Why one goes to the theater varies. There are shows that make you think, and those that challenge you. But often, its simply for the joy of well-done production. To that end, The Play That Goes Wrong is the most fun I have had in a theater since The Book of Mormon. It plays perfectly on the Legacy stage, is extremely well directed for a production that requires impeccable timing and skilled actors.
The Play that Goes wrong is running through October 1 at Legacy Theater. For tickets, click here.