Preview: Peter Pan Goes Wrong at Darlington Civic Theatre

Expect Laughs Throughout!

Peter Pan Goes Wrong

Darlington Civic Theatre

Tuesday 3^rd February to Sunday 8^th February 2015.

Celebrated West Endnewcomers and winners of the Whatsonstage Award for Best New Comedy 2014, Mischief Theatre are set to wreak havoc once again at Darlington Civic Theatre with their new show Peter Pan Goes Wrong.

Co-written by Mischief Theatre company members Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, the play introduces ‘The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’ who are attempting to stage J.M. Barrie’s classic tale of Peter Pan, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong… does, as the accident prone thesps embark on a thrilling adventure to Neverland with hilariously disastrous results. A highly physical comedy packed with finely-tuned mayhem and Buster Keaton inspired slapstick, Peter Pan Goes Wrong delivers a fast-paced show with split-second timing and ambitious daring.

Mischief Theatre exploded onto the Darlington Civic Theatre stage with phenomenal success last year with The Play That Goes Wrong. Kenny Wax - triple Olivier award-winning producer of the play said: “We took a huge gamble in transferring The Play That Goes Wrong into the West End; a new comedy starring 'no one famous' by unknown writers. 

And yet our sold out show is delighting packed houses night after night. I have no doubt that Peter Pan Goes Wrong will be met with the same tremendous reaction.” The Play That Goes Wrong was the Jowheretogo Comedy Play of 2014: hereand you can read its review: here

A donation from every ticket sold for Peter Pan Goes Wrong is given to Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Tickets:

Peter Pan Goes Wrong runs at Darlington Civic Theatre from Tuesday February 3 to Sunday February 8. Tickets* are priced from £17.

To book contact the Box Office on 01325 486 555 or visit www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk

*Includes a £1 restoration levy 

Special Events

Free post show talk Wednesday - Stay behind after the show to take part in a Q&A with some of the cast. Booking not necessary.

 

The Jowheretogo Theatre Year 2014

The Jowheretogo Theatre Year

So what were the productions that made the Jowheretogo team smile, laugh and/or cry the most this year? Stephen Oliver looks back at an exciting 2014.

Funny play of the year: The Play That Goes Wrong which we saw at the Darlington Civic Theatre. This play had us laughing from start to finish – memories of watching Airplane! the movie at the cinema when we were very young. The show is still on in the London West End and a sequel Peter Pan Goes Wrong reaches Darlington Civic and Newcastle Theatre Royal in 2015. http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/review-play-that-goes-wrong-at.html

Musical of the year: Urinetown which we saw at the St James Theatre in London and became the play we love to quote thereafter. Great memorable songs, coupled with a cracking storyline – a feature that was missing on a number of musicals this year. We would love to see it tour to the North East. http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/review-urinetown-musical-at-st-james.html

Moving Play of the Year: the revival of Wet House at Live Theatre was superb. Joe Caffrey was in great form as one of the trouble souls in Paddy Campbell’s debut play. http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/review-wet-house-at-newcastle-live.html

Small scale show of the year: Thirsty from The Paper Birds which we saw at The Arts Centre Washington was a rollercoaster of emotions as Jemma McDonnell and Kylie Walsh consumed large amounts of liquid whilst exploring friendship and the demon alcohol.

http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/review-thirsty-by-paper-birds-at.html

Whodunnit of the year was Jason Durr’s portrayal of Agatha Christie’s Poirot in Black Coffee which had us guessing to the end at Newcastle’s Theatre Royal. We saw a number of murders of stage this year but this show was a cut above the rest. http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/review-black-coffee-at-newcastle.html

Amateurs showing the professionals how it is done play of the year has to be the moving Duet For One at the People’s Theatre in Newcastle. A fabulous look into some really difficult questions.  http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/review-duet-for-one-newcastle-peoples.html

Kids show of the year is one we hand over to the wee-man of the team.  Robert loved Get Santa! at Newcastle’s Northern Stage. A funny show that wasn’t afraid to connect with the young audience. It was funny and heart warming without any unnecessary innuendo.  http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/review-get-santa-at-newcastle-northern.html

Dance show of the year was the incredible The Five & The Prophecy of Prana from Boy Blue Entertainment. The mix of manga style characters and strong storyline had the Northern Stage audience captivated. http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/review-five-prophecy-of-prana-at.html

Wedding of the year? Well we see a lot of coupling on stage and the great farce that was Perfect Wedding at South Shields Customs House was very funny and showed that the North East produces entertaining theatre. http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/review-perfect-wedding-at-south-shields.html

A massive thank you goes to the actors, producers, directors and theatres that have invited us along to the shows this year. Theatre remains a great night out and is not just about the Panto at Christmas. We have never seen a broadcast of a West End Show at a cinema because we now there is plenty of live entertainment out there in our wonderful theatres.

Looking ahead – 2015 is going to be another cracking year too!

Review: The Play That Goes Wrong at Darlington Civic Theatre

Possibly The Funniest Play…Ever!

      

The Play That Goes Wrong 

Darlington Civic Theatre 

from Tuesday 17 to Saturday 21 June 2014

Mischief Theatre have, with The Play That Goes Wrong, put together a production that keeps them in the top league of comedy producing theatre companies. In a play within a play ,the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society attempt to put on a 1920s murder mystery called The Murder At Haversham Manor, but everything that can go wrong does so.

The production is reminiscent of the film Airplane as funny moments keep coming in rapid succession. The large Darlington crowd was rolling around with laughter from the moment that they arrived until the final curtain. Even before the show even “starts” Nancy Wallinger and Rob Falconer had started the shenanigans whilst trying to put the finishing touches to the set. As the play officially starts, Henry Shields took to the stage as the leader of the Polytechnic Group and as someone who would play Inspector Carter in the murder mystery.

He did a great job playing the straight man who desperately wants the production to succeed after previous disasters such as James and the Peach when they couldn’t afford a giant peach…which became James, Where Is Your Peach? when the peach became mouldy.

Great comedy looks easy but it is easy to get wrong. The timing has to be spot on for the jokes to work and the cast not to get hurt. This production shows this level of discipline. Jonathan Sayer as Dennis/Perkins was convincing as he bungled his lines and pronunciations. Dave Hearn as Max/Cecil had to resort to almost circus style training as the problems with the set continued. Charlie Russell as Sandra/Florence keeps on the right side of hamming up her role and her fight scenes with Nancy Wallinger as she steps in to fill her shoes were extremely well timed.

Nigel Hook has done a superb job designing a set which is as much a part of the story as the hardworking actors. It also performed brilliantly with precise comic timing too.

The whole cast worked superbly well together as a team to keep the laughs coming. Quite simply, this is the funniest show on tour at the moment.

This review was written by Stephen Oliver for Jowheretogo PR. Follow Jo on twitter @jowheretogo, Stephen @panic_c_button or like Jowheretogo on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Jowheretogo  

Tickets* Opening Night and Sat 2.30pm £16, £16.80, £18, £19.60
Wed – Sat Evenings £20, £21, £22.50, £24.50
Thu 2pm all seats £17
Discounts available
Free post-show talk Wednesday - Stay behind after the show to take part in a Q&A with some of the cast. Booking not necessary.

School workshop available - An in school workshop is available for years 10+ to compliment your theatre visit, to explore physical comedy and the theatrical processes the company used when putting together this production. For more information, please contact Lyndsey Middleton at the Civic Theatre for more information on (01325) 387765 or by email on Lyndsey.middleton@darlington.gov.uk.

To book contact the Box Office on 01325 486 555 or visit www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk

*plus £1 restoration levy

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAaWW-3yfpQ

Website: http://www.theplaythatgoeswrong.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theplaythatgoeswrong

Twitter: https://twitter.com/playgoeswrong