Chaos Comes to Newcastle: Perfectly Timed Disasters at the Civic Theatre
- WCP Media
- Jul 4
- 8 min read
Newcastle theatre lovers are in for a rare and riotous treat as the West End’s longest-running comedy, the Olivier and Tony Award-winning play, The Play That Goes Wrong, makes its way to Newcastle for a strictly limited season at the Civic theatre from 19 – 31 August.
While Newcastle has recently hosted worldclass musicals like Six and Come From Away, it’s not often that a play of this calibre, straight from a decade-long triumph on London’s West End, tours to our city. Combining the spirit of Monty Python with the mystery of Sherlock Holmes, this production promises side-splitting mayhem and a rare chance to experience top-tier comedic theatre without leaving the Hunter.
The Play That Goes Wrong, originally titled The Murder Before Christmas, first opened at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and was the creation of Mischief Theatre – a group of performers and playwrights who were still studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. The production moved to London, where it opened at The Old Red Lion Theatre with only four paying customers. Despite this, it went on to open at the Duchess Theatre in London in September 2014 and has since celebrated a decade of ‘disasters’ in the West End. The production shows no signs of slowing down since its first fringe performance, winning 11 international awards and has now been performed to over 3.5 million people around the world on every continent except Antarctica. It has also spawned several television spinoffs, available on BBC iPlayer in the UK. Co-written by Mischief Theatre company members Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields, and directed by Mark Bell, The Play That Goes Wrong is a highly physical comedy packed with finely tuned farce and Buster Keaton-inspired slapstick, delivered with split-second timing and daring ambition.
The current international tour is presented by GMG Productions and Stoddart Entertainment Group, by arrangement with Mischief Worldwide Ltd. It will no doubt cause chaos across Australia, where it has opened at the Sydney Opera House so far, and will tour to the Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Melbourne, Port Macquarie, Canberra, Perth, and, of course, Newcastle. It’s just finished a tour of New Zealand, where it took the country by storm, with a reviewer from Theatreview New Zealand hailing the production as a “Glorious theatrical disaster, executed with expert precision… Faultless fault-filled theatre – perfect for seasoned theatregoers and first-timers alike”. The tour coincides with the show’s 10th Anniversary celebrations and is guaranteed to delight whether you are 9 or 99. In other words, ideal for the whole family.
If you’ve never heard of The Play That Goes Wrong, picture a classic murder mystery performed by an enthusiastic but disastrously inept amateur theatre company—where everything that can go wrong does. This play within a play features the Cornley Drama Society on the opening night of their latest production, The Murder at Haversham Manor. As the incompetent theatre troupe attempts to stage this 1920s murder mystery, their production devolves into madcap mayhem. Lost props, forgotten lines, and poorly constructed scenery conspire against the clumsy cast, who fight for the show to make it to the final curtain call. From collapsing sets and misplaced props to missed cues and unconscious actors, this perfectly choreographed catastrophe spirals into a riot of slapstick, physical comedy, and theatrical chaos. There’s an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines). It’s a masterclass in comic timing, with the Cornley Drama Society’s valiant attempts to “keep calm and carry on” only making things more hilariously unhinged. It’s clever, chaotic fun for all ages—whether you’re a seasoned theatregoer or simply up for a laugh.
For Producer Daniel Stoddart, The Play That Goes Wrong represents the beginning of a dream come true. No stranger to Novocastrian audiences, Stoddart has been a leading light in the local Newcastle theatre scene, well known as the Founder of Hunter Drama, the Artistic Director of The Very Popular Theatre Company, the Producer of OzTheatrics and the CEO of Stoddart Entertainment Group. His foray into professional international touring productions, beginning with this show, is already an astounding success.
“This show toured Australia in 2017, and we have outsold that tour before we’ve even opened,” said Daniel.
“We’ve had to add an extra week to Melbourne, and it’s selling out at the Sydney Opera House. We didn’t have enough seats to sell in New Zealand, but they loved it. The demand has been astonishing. I think we’re living in a time when we could all do with a good laugh.
“In many ways, the members of the fictional Cornley Drama Society feel all too familiar. They are ambitious, hopeful, utterly overwhelmed, and doing their absolute best in a world that won’t cooperate. We are all doing our best to keep things from falling apart. That’s what makes this show so relatable and so much more than a farce. In a world that often feels like an onslaught of chaos and anxiety, laughter becomes essential. It’s our safety valve. It’s how we cope, how we connect, and how we survive. We remember it’s okay to laugh at ourselves.
“Knowing Newcastle as well as I do, I really believe that this show fits our town. We love comedy and laughter. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, and this show allows us to escape. We don’t have to overthink; there are no deeper meanings other than the fact that it's hilarious!"
“Making people laugh is at the heart of why I do what I do."
“I love comedy, and I plan to produce at least one comedy per year, similar to this one. This experience has opened doors for Stoddart Entertainment that I could never have imagined, and we now have professional touring productions lined up through 2029, with some incredibly exciting projects on the horizon, including as many as three per year. There is a definite market for top-tier plays to tour the way the big musicals do. I’m excited to be a part of that, bringing commercially successful plays to tour Australia and our region. The next ambition is to tour our own production to the West End, and I’m working on it!”
The cast includes Joe Kosky, who audiences might recognise from his acclaimed performance as Dewey Finn in the hit stage musical School of Rock, which toured throughout Australia and New Zealand, as well as Shrek in Shrek and Oz in Come From Away. He’s also toured with Kinky Boots, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and the original production of Jersey Boys, and he founded both the electronic duo GodWolf and the internationally acclaimed comedy group Aunty Donna (Netflix, ABC).
Joe is married to former Novocastrian performer Alanna Trantor, who also starred in Come From Away, and he’s looking forward to catching up with his in-laws when the show hits Newcastle’s Civic Theatre. Known primarily as a musical theatre performer, this is Joe’s first opportunity to tour in a major ‘straight’ play, and he’s found the experience surprising. “I thought that without having to learn songs and choreography, it would be a less intense experience,” said Joe.
“Nothing could be further from the truth! It’s physically very demanding, and even voicewise, we’re not miked up, and there’s about two hours of screaming to get through. After all, we’re performing the piece truthfully, and an amateur theatre group wouldn’t have the resources for individual microphones.
“The rehearsal experience was also unique. Our first week was spent entirely in character, method acting, even auditioning as our character and rehearsing the play within the play (The Murder at Haversham Manor) as it should be done – if we got it right. It was so helpful. It allowed us to see what our characters are aiming for rather than just playing to all the things that go wrong. As a result, I’ve learnt just how much goes into what may appear to be a frivolous piece of silly comedy. It’s every bit as demanding as a musical theatre piece.
“The nature of this show has also created a very tight-knit family. We’re a small team, and no minute goes by where we don’t have each other’s backs. We rely on one another completely. There’s also this crossover between reality and the play within the play. We have crew members in the play and crew members in reality, and sometimes we’re off-stage doing sound effects and gathering props, all chipping in to make it work - together. It’s a wonderful, joyful experience.
“We’re living through really troubling times, and this is one of those shows that provides pure escapism and two hours of solid laughter. It’s like being on a steam train of comedy – once that first laugh begins, it doesn’t stop until the curtain call. We sometimes get concerned for some of the audience members who are literally crying with laughter, they can’t catch
their breath and seem in danger of passing out! It’s a really cool job.”
Joining Joe on stage is Jonathan Martin, fresh from a sold-out season of Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom in New Zealand. Playing the pivotal role of uptight and nervous Chris Bean, the hapless, newly appointed director of the Cornley Drama Society. Jonathan’s previous credits include Something Rotten!, Little Shop Of Horrors, The Producers, La Cage Aux Folles, North By Northwest, Avenue Q, the Australasian tour of Madagascar the Musical and with Pop-up Globe. He also featured in the Netflix film Falling Inn Love.
Stephanie Astrid John, a multi-awardwinning singer, actor, teacher, puppeteer and improviser who originated the role of Genevieve Gryffindor in the 2021 Australian premiere of Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts: A Musical, plays Sandra. Stephanie appeared in Damon Gameau’s award-winning feature film, 2040 and tours nationally with the award-winning comedy group Ginger and Tonic.
Playing the role of once-terrified-turned stage boss Annie, is Olivia Charalambous - a creative hustler who’s made an appearance in Chopper: The Untold Story, a director, voiceover artist, drag queen, and future winner of Eurovision (representing Cyprus). Her theatre credits include The Grinning Man, Ruthless - The Musical and Young Frankenstein.
Eds Eramiha, a former professional Muay Thai fighter (those skills come in handy!), is playing Trevor, Cornley Drama Society’s stage manager. Having toured with Pop-up Globe’s productions of Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Puck and Curio, he’ll be punching above his weight in the laughter department. His previous film credits include The Legend of Baron To’a, Mahana and The Dead Lands.
Brodie Masini (feat. films Revive, Hidden Light; theatre Tick, Tick, Boom!, Next to Normal) plays Jonathan, Sebastiano Pitruzzello (feat. films After Luke, I Want Back, The Killer Performance) is Max, while Tom Hayward (feat. film Water; stage Happy Campers, Uncle Vanya) is Dennis. Understudies are Anthony Craig (Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp, Unbroken and Lone Wolf, Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge); Kira Josephson (Power Rangers | Dino Fury (Jane Fairview), hit NZ Comedy Kid Sister (Bec Emanuel); theatre Strictly Ballroom, The Girl On The Train, Jesus Christ Superstar, Chicago and Legally Blonde the Musical) and Jack Buchanan (Power Rangers | Beast Morphers (Captain Chaku), Our Own Little Mess (Q Theatre), and Night of the Living Dead (Silo Theatre).
With its stellar cast, meticulously choreographed chaos, and relentless laughs, The Play That Goes Wrong offers more than just entertainment - it’s a celebration of the magic of live theatre and the joy of collective laughter. For Newcastle audiences, it’s a rare opportunity to witness one of the world’s most successful plays in their own backyard, delivered with all the energy and excellence of a major international production.
While everything in The Play That Goes Wrong appears to collapse in spectacular fashion - from misfiring props to actors forgetting their lines—what’s truly astonishing is just how expertly it’s all performed. Beneath the mayhem lies a masterclass in comic timing, precision, and physical theatre. Whether you’re a diehard theatre fan or simply looking for a night out that’s guaranteed to lift your spirits, this is a show not to be missed. Book early. When the curtain finally rises on this hilariously doomed production, the only thing that will go wrong is missing it.
For more information and tickets, visit www.civictheatrenewcastle.com.au.
WORDS: LIANE MORRIS | FEATURE WRITER
