Playgoers of Lethbridge begins celebrating it’s hundredth anniversary with an award winning comedy “ The Play That Goes Wrong,” Feb. 7-11 at the Yates Theatre.
The long standing theatre company marked the inaugural meeting of the group, which happened Jan. 20 at St. Augustine’s Anglican Church , with an open house Jan. 20 at St. Augustines, but they are getting geared up for a busy 2023 with a production of Jonathan Sayer, Henry Lewis and Henry Shield’s backstage farce.
“It’s still running in London and on Broadway,” said director and Playgoers of Lethbridge president Elaine Jagielski.
“ The Play that Goes Wrong,” is described as a “ hilarious hybrid of Monty Python and Sherlock Holmes” as the cast and crew stage a production of 1920s murder mystery “Murder at Haversham Manor,” in which everything that can possibly go wrong, goes wrong and then some including a corpse that can’t play dead, an unconscious leading lady and a cast that trips on everything including their lines.
“It’s a play within a play. It’s farcical. It takes place on a set. It’s like backstage farces like ‘Noises Off!’ but you don’t really see what is happening backstage, though there are glimpses,” Jagielski continued, noting it has won several awards including Best New Comedy 2015 Laurence Olivier award. It also won a 2017 Tony Award for Best Scenic Design.
“ It is a bit of a challenge. The set is like a ninth character. It’s an entity unto itself,” said Jagielski who is excited to welcome several new faces to Playgoers for this production.
“ We have some new faces. It’s first time on stage for some of them,” Jagielski said.
The cast features Playgoers of Lethbridge veteran Shelly David who
saw the play on Broadway and pitched the idea to Playgoers.
“ I saw it in 2017 on Broadway in New York City. I got a workout, I was laughing so hard in my seat. It was so funny, ” said Shelly David, who plays Annie the stage manager.
“So I brought it to Playgoers,” she continued, adding she is enjoying working with the cast and crew.
“Everyone is so talented and generous. They’re a great group of people to be working with,” David said.
The cast includes Theatre Outré and Impromptu veterans David Gabert and Mark Ogle, who play Robert and Max respectively.
“When I read this play, I realized I lived this experience,” said David Gabert, who plays Robert.
Gabert is a familiar face with Theatre Outré and impromptu and was part of a playgoers of Lethbridge production called Lethbridge Idol in 2006. He is glad fellow Impromptu veteran Mark Ogle convinced him to be part of this production.
“ The script is very witty,” he said adding it is relatable to anybody who has ever been part of theatre.
Ashley Thomson who has performed with New West Theatre as well as in her own productions plays Sandra. Trevor Loman, who has performed with The Lethbridge Shakespeare Performance Society, the University of Lethbridge, Theatre Outré and who has been in Playgoer’s of Lethbridge’s production of “Daisy’” just before the pandemic.
There are also some new faces including Dan Pottage as Dennis, Nick Cumming as Jonathan and Brent Clark as Chris.
“ I hope people will come away feeling they had a great experience,” David said.
“It’s just sheer enjoyment. I hope everyone will come out and have a good laugh and appreciate the talent, the set and the costumes,”Jagielski said.
“ The Play that Goes Wrong” is only one of the events planned for 2023 to celebrate Playgoer’s of Lethbridge’s 100th anniversary.
They held an open house on Jan. 20, at St. Augustine’s marking, to the day, the first meeting of the local theatre group, which has, other than taking a hiatus during the Second World War, has been performing consistently for 100 years.
Playgoers of Lethbridge also celebrates 100 years with A Taste of the Arts, April 21-22 at the Yates Theatre. There will be a mix of music, dance, and theatre performances as well as interactive workshops a visual arts display. Admission is free due to funding from the City of Lethbridge, the Province of Alberta, and the Government of Canada.
After that, Playgoers hosts the regional One Act play Festival April 7 to 8 and will be hosting the provincial one Act Play Festival in May.
Then, Playgoers of Lethbridge perform the murder mystery “ The Game’s Afoot” as a dinner theatre in October.
Tickets are on sale for “the Play That Goes Wrong” at the Enmax Centre and Yates Theatre ticket centre for $30 or online for $32. The play is 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7-11, 2023 at the Yates Theatre. There is also 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday.
— By Richard Amery, l.A. Beat Editor
