I’m not sure I’d ever lost my voice from laughing hysterically, until I saw Peter Pan Goes Wrong on Broadway. Six years after the premiere of The Play That Goes Wrong debuted on Broadway, Mischief Theatre has once again brought their West End hit to New York. These comedy geniuses are the best in the business at finely crafting hilarity to deliver maximum laughter from their audience. In Peter Pan Goes Wrong, they’re as brilliant as they’ve ever been.
Peter Pan Goes Wrong is a play within a play. The inner play is of the amateur Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society attempting to put on a production of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. As always goes with Cornley’s attempts at putting on a serious play, they fail spectacularly. The fictional company includes the same actors as were in the production attempted within The Play That Goes Wrong as well as The Goes Wrong Show on BBC. This includes Chris as the company’s controlling director, Robert as a wannabe big shot, Trevor as a stage manager drinking on the job, and more. One way in which this production improves upon The Play That Goes Wrong is by exploring the backstage lives of these characters. A love triangle between Sandra, Max, and Jonathan genuinely tugs at your heartstrings, in the few moments of respite from laughing.
Peter Pan Goes Wrong was written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields. This trio has been working together since they met in 2008 at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. What started with The Play That Goes Wrong has turned into a global success on stage and screen. Their ability to take the “Goes Wrong” shtick and make it always feel fresh in every iteration is incredible. Not a single bit in Peter Pan Goes Wrong feels remotely stale. In fact, every single bit feels like it’s actually falling apart for the first time. It’s difficult to wrap your head around the fact that every single aspect of this play is scripted, because so much of it feels spontaneous and unprecedented. Lewis, Sayer, and Shields once again penned a truly inventive script.
All the actors in this production have a Herculean task eight shows a week. They have to get into character twice, both as their actor in the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, and again as whichever character (often multiple characters) they’re playing within Peter Pan. They also must seem genuinely shocked every single time something “goes wrong,” to which they succeed flawlessly. Henry Shields plays Chris Bean, the director of Peter Pan who also performs as Mr. Darling and Captain Hook. Chris takes the plays they put on incredibly seriously, so every time something falls apart, Shields must act completely exasperated as his hopes of an unblemished performance dies. Not only does Shields seem truly crushed repeatedly, but he even lashes out at his fellow cast and even the audience for laughing at their misfortune. Shields’ commitment to the character is exceptional. Henry Lewis plays Robert, the assistant director who fancies himself as co-director. Robert is desperate for his big break and uses every opportunity to showcase himself. Lewis uses physical comedy in a funnier way than I’ve ever seen from anyone else, such as getting stuck in the dog door as the Darling family pet, or dressing in full body black spandex as Pan’s shadow. Jonathan Sayer plays Dennis, a simple man who requires a headset feeding him all his lines. Sayer effectively portrays a dunce who can’t even understand when he’s cued, including repeating stage directions and personal insults from the voice in his ear. Charlie Russell, a co-founder of Mischief, plays Sandra who gets the part of Wendy within the play. Russell’s Sandra tries to stay in character as her affair with Jonathan and Max’s desire for her are both revealed. Russell’s determination to keep the play moving at all costs is hysterical. Nancy Zamit (also a co-founder of Mischief) plays Annie, portraying Mrs. Darling, Lisa the maid, and Tinker Bell. Zamit’s commitment to her characters, especially in physicality, is remarkable. One bit that got a deserved ovation is an impossibly fast quick change between two characters back and forth repeatedly. Greg Tannahill plays Jonathan who gets the honor of portraying the titular Peter Pan. Tannahill has some jaw-dropping moments struggling to fly on wires, including one that leads to him hanging upside down for a prolonged period. Matthew Cavendish plays Max, an optimistic actor who feeds off audience approval but gets routinely put down by his fellow cast. The way Cavendish plays forlorn when he hears what his fellow actors think of him is heartbreaking and effective. The stage crew for Peter Pan are Chris Leask as Trevor and Bianca Horn as Gill, both managing to seem completely disinterested and incompetent as they still must hit all their marks. Rounding out the cast is Ellie Morris as Lucy, who has some shining moments of physical comedy in a wheelchair, on crutches, and in a walking boot. There isn’t a single weak link in this cast, they’re all brilliant in their roles.
One addition to the cast for a short time is Tony Award and Emmy Award-winning actor Neil Patrick Harris, only in the show from April 11 until May 7. He is clearly having an incredible time on stage as the narrator Francis, who occasionally pops into the story as one of Hook’s pirates. Harris is game to be thrown around the stage, hit with props, lose clothes, and as a treat, incorporate his beloved magic tricks into the role. Harris deserves a huge amount of credit for joining the speeding train of Mischief and using his fame to bring added attention to these lesser-known actors. The show would work phenomenally on its own, but it is a thrill to have Harris back on stage as part of this troupe.
A standing ovation must be given for the actual crew of Peter Pan Goes Wrong (as opposed to the fictional crew of the play within the play.) The scenic design, created by Simon Scullion, is a massive undertaking. What seems simple becomes a rotating set that is featured like a jungle gym, a pirate ship that tilts back and forth, set pieces collapsing onto actors or falling from the ceiling, and plenty more. There is also an incredible lighting design from Matthew Haskins. The wires within Peter Pan keep getting crossed which leads to one moment in which the theater completely blacks out. The backstage crew makes so many technical achievements look accidental, it’s a joy when they’re brought out during curtain calls for their own applause.
Mischief Theatre has a track record so consistent, you can basically guarantee everything they put out will be hilarious. With clever writing, brilliant performers, and a technical spectacle, this time is no exception. Peter Pan Goes Wrong is yet another masterpiece from these comedy geniuses.