Scene from LALT’s ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’. Photo by Thomas Graves/LALT
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
Los Alamos Little Theatre’s (LALT) “The Play that Goes Wrong” is a spoof on the Victorian-era, classic Agatha Christie murder mystery. Actually, it is more than that. It is a giggly, good-natured jab at community theatre. To be honest, “The Play that Goes Wrong” is truly a really, really, great theatre experience.
The curtain opens with a man lying on a chaise lounge, presumably dead – murdered, to be precise. What happened to the man? Who killed him? With all the antics and high-jinks that proceed, I would boldly say – who cares? It is just too darn funny.
Before you think I am really morbid, let me explain. “The Play that Goes Wrong” is not really a murder mystery story but a play within a play that hilariously unravels. Everything that could go wrong in a theatrical production does go wrong and the audience can take part in the wild ride.
I have never heard more rolls of uncontrollable laughter filling the small theatre auditorium than I did during LALT’s latest production, which opened Friday night. Heck, I can’t remember the last time I doubled over, stomach hurting from laughing so hard, but I was certainly doing that throughout this play. One spectacular scene features a sword fight and I thought I might die from laughter.
The entire cast and crew deserves a standing ovation. They are so, so good at being comedically awful. It is not just the priceless dialogue but the incredible physical, slap-stick comedy that everyone in the cast is doing. People are being knocked out by swinging doors, pushed off sofas, hit with serving trays and forced to scale collapsing sets. Major, major kudos to everyone – especially Linda Taylor, Kaity Burke, Jack Williams, Emily Teti, Jim Sicilian, Holly Robinson, Colin McDowell and Stacy Buck.
The fourth wall is broken multiple times throughout the play so as an audience member, you really become immersed in this chaotic spectacle happening in front of you. To add to the authenticity, “stagehands” played by Allison Zastrow, Josh Bartlett, T. Sullivan and Corey Skinner, pop on to the stage to frantically fix whatever new catastrophe has occurred. Along with the fourth wall, literal walls are broken; in fact, by the end of the play the set is in shambles. This is a shame because it is fine looking set, with a tall platform to convey a second story, a secret passageway and a lot of details to depict an aristocratic manor.
This was all under the fine direction of Seona Zimmermann.
Can I just say what a fantastic roll LALT has been on? Unlike the Cornley Drama Society, LALT has churned out a lot of hits recently. And with “the Play that Goes Wrong”, LALT proves it is so, so good at being really, really bad.
“The Play that Goes Wrong” continues through Jan. 27 at the Performing Arts Center, 1670 Nectar St. Shows are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. There will be a 2 p.m. matinee Jan. 21. Tickets at $25 (20 percent discount for seniors, students and veterans) can be purchased in advance online (click here) or at the door. Online sales will end one hour before the start of the show.
