‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ makes debut at Orpheum Theatre

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - “The Play That Goes Wrong” is a play within a play, and everything that can go wrong will.

"The Cornely University drama society are putting on The Murder at Haversham Manner. The murder mystery that they are so proud of, no more so than Chris Bean and his first production. What they don’t know is for the next two hours everything is about to fall apart in the worst way possible,” Chris Lanceley, who plays Chris Bean.

Chris Lanceley plays Chris Bean in "The Play That Goes Wrong,” who plays Inspector Carter in the murder mystery within the play.

Keeping up?

"It's a pretty sophisticated comedy. There's a lot of clever lines, there's a lot of puns, there's a lot of things that play off against each other,” Lanceley said.

And because it is “The Play That Goes Wrong,” you can expect just that.

"A lot of perhaps getting hit in the face, perhaps falling off things. A lot of people making the wrong entrances, getting the wrong lines,” Lanceley said.

Lanceley's character is a bit of a control freak. He serves as the show's director, set designer, costume designer, box office manager, press and PR, and just about anything else you can think of.

And when things get out of line his character will make sure you know it!

"There is one bit in particular in the show where I will yell at you quite loudly from the stage. Don't take it personally please. I love my time in Memphis so far and I can't wait to do the rest of the week."

Despite the mishaps on-stage or perhaps because of them, Lanceley says this is a play that everyone needs to see.

“It’s timely too because it’s two hours of laughs, its two hours of pure comedy with nothing else thrown at you, and I think that’s important at the moment if you just want to go out and enjoy yourself for two hours... this is the show.”

“The Play That Goes Wrong” runs through Sunday, Feb. 9 at The Orpheum.

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