Mischief Theatre Company’s, The Play That Goes Wrong, playing to a capacity, New Theatre audience did exactly what is said on the tin.

The spoof on the well-documented pitfalls of amateur theatre proved a triumphant success, and an appreciative audience descended into regular bouts of belly-laughter as, against all odds, The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society attempted to stage a 1920s murder mystery.

Despite the valiant efforts of the stage manager Annie, played hilariously by Lotti Maddox and lighting and sound operator, Trevor played nonchalantly by Rob Falconer, everything that could go wrong, did, and a hapless cast were left courageously speaking their lines whilst holding on like contortionists to a set rapidly crumbling around them.

Stand out hilarious moments for me were when the supposed authoritative police inspector, played by Henry Shields, was forced to make notes with a key and a vase after a previous equally befuddled character mistakenly took his notebook and pen, and the impossibility of any character being able to answer the phone owing to the fact that their hands were always full holding up scenery.

Doors and windows failed to open, every prop malfunctioned, stage entries were missed and at one stage four actors were caught in a loop of repetition as Perkins, the butler (Jonathan Sayer) spectacularly forgot a key line.

Innocent, British comedy at its finest.

You have until Saturday to catch it. Tel: 02920 878889