Imagine if British comedy icons French and Saunders or The Mighty Boosh decided to mount an Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot mystery…There, now you’ve got the basic vibe of The Keeton’s latest offering. The Play That Goes Wrong, a madcap mishap of a show-within-a-show similar in theme to Noises Off–in that the audience witness the backstage antics of a fictitious theatre troupe while simultaneously trying to follow the storyline of their attempt to put on a classic murder mystery–The Keeton‘s production of The Play That Goes Wrong is wrapping it’s three week run with shows through Sunday, April 26. As directed by Erin-Grace Bailey, The Play that Goes Wrong is the kind of gleefully unhinged farce that practically dares its audience not to laugh—and then steamrolls them anyway. This production leans hard (sometimes a little too hard) into the chaos but ultimately comes out the other side with a win…even if everything onstage most certainly does not.
The premise is simple: the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society is attempting to present a very serious murder mystery, The Murder at Haversham Manor. The reality? Nothing works. Props go missing, lines are butchered, actors drop like flies (sometimes literally), and the set itself seems to have taken out a personal vendetta against the cast. And yet, somehow, it all clicks with clockwork precision.
From the moment you step into the theatre, it’s clear this isn’t your standard night of community theatre. Pre-show antics spill into the house, there’s mention of a missing dog, a raffle that no one seems to know anything about, “tech issues” are already in full swing, and the fourth wall is less of a wall and more of a polite suggestion. It’s immersive…whether you asked for that or not.
Now, I’ll be honest, having seen the National Tour back in 2018, and two more recent regional productions including last year’s Clarence Brown Theatre mounting, I am a huge fan of this work—so, when I first heard The Keeton was tackling The Play That Goes Wrong, I raised a somewhat doubting eyebrow. This is a show that, by design, demands a lot from a technical standpoint. It’s big, it’s intricate, and it requires a set that doesn’t just exist, but actively participates in the chaos. In a more intimate space like The Keeton, it’s fair to wonder if that kind of controlled destruction might be a bit…ambitious. And yet, credit where it’s due: this team doesn’t just meet the challenge—they lean into it with gusto. The result is a production that feels just as delightfully unstable as it should, without ever actually losing control.
Leading this beautifully doomed endeavor is Joshua Mertz as Chris, the director/star/producer/everything-else of the show-within-the-show. Mertz plays Chris with just the right mix of puffed-up authority and slow-burn panic. As The Inspector within the mystery, watching him try to maintain control as things unravel faster than a cheap sweater is half the fun—and when he finally snaps, it’s worth the wait. Mertz, in his sixth show at The Keeton is proving himself to be a valuable asset the the company.
Aaron Gray’s Robert is the kind of community theatre actor who clearly believes he’s performing in Masterpiece Theatre, even as the world collapses around him. The fact that Gray is in or involved with nearly every Keeton production somehow added a if you know you know aspect to his role as Robert. As Thomas Collymoore, his dead-serious commitment in the face of utter nonsense makes every moment land harder, especially as the physical comedy ramps up and refuses to let him off easy. Kudos to his library scene. While the Keeton stage area does limit the intensity of the prospect of the second floor of the set completely collapsing, Gray’s physicality while keeping himself and all the props around his from falling away as the floor beneath him gives way, is gasping, belly-laughing joy to behold.
Hazen Lawson’s Dennis Tyde meanwhile, is a walking (and frequently stumbling) disaster in the best possible way as the newbie of the theatre troupe within the show tasked with playing the typically forgettable role of Perkins the butler within the mystery. With lines written on his forearm and a completely naturally nervous nature, Lawson delivers line flubs and verbal gymnastics with such earnest confusion you almost feel bad for laughing…almost. His constant mispronunciation of such words as cyanide, ominous and morose quickly becomes a running gag.
Keeton newcomer, Connor Boggs is tasked with the key role of Max. Initially cast in another role, Boggs stepped into the role of Max after the original actor had to drop out of the show. As Max and his mystery counterpart, Cecil, he figures out very early on that subtlety is overrated. Within the supposed seriousness of the murder mystery, for Cecil, once he gets a taste of audience laughter, it’s game over. He milks every moment for all it’s worth, turning even the smallest slip into a full-blown bit. That said, dressed in wardrobe that can only be described as a technicolor travesty—yes, the character is typically a bit of a dandy, but not quite so…flamboyant. Usually played as an overly confident community theatre actor with at least an initial modicum of subtlety, Bogg’s Cecil starts at 100mph and never slows down doing everything short of cartwheels from his stage entrance right on through to the final curtain. Under the direction of Bailey, Bogg’s Cecil is amped up and definitely played for laughs so much so that it runs the risk on a SNL skit that just doesn’t know when to stop. But still, within the craziness of this show, it somehow works.
Also making her Keeton debut, Leslie King’s Sandra Wilkinson brings a diva energy that feels both earned and hilariously misplaced given the circumstances. Her Florence Colleymoore is equal parts glamour and growing frustration, and King handles the show’s increasingly
demanding physical comedy without ever dropping character. In one scene in particular, she’s pulled and flopped around by her cast mates as if her joins are made of bendy straws. Her physicality is slapstick at its best.
Bree Presson—yet another new face to Keeton audiences— as Annie, is an MVP for anyone who’s ever worked backstage and thought, “Well…this is fine,” while everything burned down around them. Presson’s journey from frazzled stage manager to unwilling leading lady—when the above-mentioned King’s Florence becomes incapacitated—is a comedic slow burn that pays off big in true Goes Wrong style the payoff somehow gets even bigger when she’s forced into the spotlight opposite King in two-divas, one role scene that quickly devolves into chaos squared.
Wanderson Rezende’s Trevor Watson, stationed at the tech booth, proves that sometimes less is more. His distracted, couldn’t-care-less approach to running the show results in some of the night’s most perfectly timed “mistakes,” and when he’s finally dragged into the action, it’s awkward brilliance. And yes, Denese Rene’ Evans (the show’s costumer) I did indeed appreciate that Trevor is sporting a Duran Duran t-shirt!
And then there’s David Fonville as Jonathan (nice character
name, by the way), tasked with playing a corpse who…isn’t exactly great at the whole “lying still” thing. Fonville’s physical comedy—mistimed reactions, missed cues, and all—adds an extra layer of delightful absurdity to a role that could just be…well, dead.
Adding to the mayhem is the Tech Chorus—Hannah Blough, MaryGrace Brittain, Hazely Merkle-Sanderson, Rich Moses, Advika Ravishankar, and the above-mentioned Wanderson Rezende—all blur the line between backstage and onstage with impeccable timing. The mantle falls early on…no biggie, a stagehand dressed in black will just stand there with arms extended holding whatever props were supposed to rest on the mantle. Problem solved. Their presence reinforces the idea that in this production, literally no one is safe and the old adage that the show must go on is of utmost importance.
From a technical standpoint, this show is a masterclass in controlled chaos. Kevin Driver’s set design is essentially a ticking time bomb of comedic payoff, collapsing, malfunctioning, and misbehaving on cue. Was I a little let down that the telephone gag seems to have dropped the call, yes, but when an entire wall collapses around an actor, I was like “Damn, they did it!” Every sight gag is there, the patriarch portrait, the house intercom, the fainting grandfather clock—and all somehow carried off with precision and resulting uproarious laughter from the audience. In a space where something like this does feel a bit scaled down, Driver still finds ways to make every gag land with impact. Brooke Sanders’ lighting and Steve Love’s sound design are in on the joke at every turn.
Director Erin-Grace Bailey deserves serious credit for orchestrating what looks like total anarchy but is anything but. With Assistant Director Fiona Barrett and Stage Manager Alison Gaddy keeping the wheels (barely) on, the production hits its marks—even when it looks like it’s missing all of them.
Bottom line, if you like your theatre polished, pristine, and predictable…this ain’t it. But if you’re in the mood to laugh until your face hurts while watching a cast absolutely commit to the bit—even as the set tries to take them out—The Play That Goes Wrong at The Keeton is exactly the kind of beautifully disastrous night out you’re looking for. Just don’t expect anything to go right, because…Where’s the fun in that?
The Keeton’s The Play That Goes Wrong wraps it’s three-week run with shows continuing now thru Sunday, April 26. The Keeton Theatre is located at 108 Donelson Pike, Nashville, TN 37214. Friday & Saturday Doors at 5:45pm/Dinner at 6pm and Show at 7pm. Sunday matinee Doors at 12:45pm/Meal at 1pm and Show at 2pm. Show Only Tickets: $32.00 (Thursday performances), Adult Dinner and Show: $42.00, Child Dinner and Show: $37.00. For a slight upcharge, Salmon can be chosen as the dinner entree. Group tickets receive a discount. Please call the Box Office at 615.883.8375 or CLICK HERE for tickets. In case you missed it, CLICK HERE to read my recent Rapid Fire 20Q with the show’s director and cast members.
Following The Play That Goes Wrong, on Tuesday, May 2 at 7pm, it’s time for The Keeton’s Annual Gala directed by The Keeton‘s own Donna Driver with musical direction by Jane Kelley. This year’s annual fundraiser for the theatre is themed: Role Reversal. Tickets to the gala are $60. Gala tickets include dinner, a chance to win some great prizes donated by supporters of the theatre and the opportunity to be among the first to purchase Season Tickets for The Keeton’s upcoming 2026-2027 Season. CLICK HERE to purchase gala tickets. So you don’t miss out on upcoming shows at The Keeton Dinner Theatre, follow them on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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