Some shows fall apart. This one collapses—spectacularly, repeatedly, and to uproarious effect. The Play That Goes Wrong is back at the Sydney Opera House after its smash 2017 season, and it’s just as joyously chaotic, relentlessly funny, and expertly executed as ever.
From the moment the pre-show announcements begin (spoiler: even they don’t go to plan), it’s clear this is a production where the wheels are going to come off — and that’s precisely the point. The premise is deliciously simple: an amateur theatre company attempts to stage an Agatha Christie-style whodunnit, The Murder at Haversham Manor. But between missed cues, forgotten lines, unconscious actors, and a set that seems actively out to sabotage the show, this murder mystery becomes a riotous disaster.
The magic of The Play That Goes Wrong lies in its meticulous madness. Every falling prop, mistimed entrance, and mangled line is carefully choreographed chaos. You’d think the joke might wear thin — it doesn’t. The gags escalate with such invention and precision that the audience never has a chance to stop laughing.
Jonathan Martin is brilliantly deadpan as the increasingly agitated director and leading man, trying desperately to hold the production together with a stiff upper lip and a growing sense of despair. His direct address to the audience is an early highlight, brimming with awkward tension and perfectly pitched self-importance.
Stephanie Astrid John brings delightful diva energy to the role of Sandra, battling through personal injury and stage rivalry. At the same time, Joe Kosky throws himself (sometimes literally) into every gag with fearless commitment. Tom Hayward is a standout as the butler Perkins, earnestly mispronouncing the simplest of words and getting increasingly tangled in the plot and the set.
Speaking of the set — it’s the hardest-working member of the cast. The two-storey manor is a marvel of malfunction, with collapsing floors, swinging doors, and wall hangings that refuse to stay put. It’s a visual feast of failure, executed with razor-sharp timing and just enough danger to keep the audience on edge.
One minor hiccup on opening night: the lack of microphones meant a few lines were lost under the roar of laughter — and roar they did. But if ever a show could withstand a little audio chaos, it’s this one.
If you’ve ever done community theatre, you’ll see yourself in the chaos. If you haven’t, you’ll be glad you’re in the audience, not on the stage. Either way, The Play That Goes Wrong is two hours of sheer comic brilliance.
– The other Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig is an international performer and has established himself as a trusted theatre specialist on the Sydney Arts Scene. While he understands the technical side of theatre, Dan writes for the everyday theatregoer (unlike some of those more prominent publications). When not in the audience, he loves to travel the world trying new gin. Follow him on all the socials @talldancraig
The Play That Goes Wrong runs for 2 hours 5 minutes (with 20-minute interval) and plays at the Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House, through 3 August 2025. Tickets are available through the Sydney Opera House.
Disclosure: The Plus Ones were guests of the Sydney Opera House
Image credit: Jordan Munns
