Fraser Valley – This May, Gallery 7 Theatre is thrilled to be presenting the hilarious comedy sensation, The Play That Goes Wrong, as its closing production of the 2024-2025 “Under Pressure” Theatre Season. Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields and described as “…(a) gut busting hit” by the New York Times, “…tremendously silly and brilliant” by The Daily Beast and “hilarious…non-stop pandemonium” by Entertainment Weekly, The Play That Goes Wrong will run May 9 – 24, 2025 at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium in Abbotsford.
“Audiences are in for a hilarious night of theatre,” explains Ken Hildebrandt, Managing Artistic Director of Gallery 7 Theatre. “Anything that could possibly go wrong during a performance of a murder mystery does go wrong, and we watch with amazement as a desperate troupe of actors try to follow the old adage, ‘the show must go on.”
“Our team is pulling out all the stops on the design front,” continues Hildebrandt. “The actors aren’t the only performers on stage – I don’t want to spoil too much but I can say the set will definitely take on a life of its own. Lots and lots of surprises are in store for audiences.”
It’s opening night, and members of the Cornley Drama Society are excited to present their latest production, The Murder at Haversham Manor, a murder-mystery in the same vein as an Agatha Christie thriller.
But things soon go awry as the leading lady is hit unconscious, the corpse refuses to play dead and the actors trip over everything, including their lines!
Despite the mishaps, the accident-prone performers soldier on, intent on completing the performance while attempting to fool the audience into thinking that absolutely nothing is wrong.
Part Monty-Python and part Sherlock Holmes, this hysterical Olivier Award-winning comedy will provide plenty of laughs…and leave the audience with just a bit of stage fright.
The Play That Goes Wrong will feature the acting talents of performers from across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. Making a return to the stage after a 7-year hiatus and playing the role of Chris, the head of the Cornley Drama Society and director of the murder mystery, is Gallery 7 Theatre’s Managing Artistic Director, Ken Hildebrandt. Playing the role of Robert/Thomas Colleymore is Koenraad Beugelink, who last appeared in Gallery 7 Theatre’s production of Jeeves Intervenes. Stephen Elcheshen takes on the role of Dennis/Perkins, while Hana Shiels takes on the role of Sandra/Florence Colleymore and Seth Schouten takes on the role of Max/Cecil Haversham. Ruthie Mackenzie plays Annie, the Society’s stage manager and company stand-in, Thomas Smith plays Trevor, the Society’s long-suffering technical director, Trevor, and Evan Rachwalski plays Jonathan/Charles Haversham. Playing members of the Cornely Drama Society’s stage crew are Beth Gasser, Alex Walker and Victoria Zator.
Directing The Play That Goes Wrong is Kerri Norris, who last directed Jeeves Intervenes for Gallery 7 Theatre. She is supported by a talented team of designers to bring the show to life. Set design is by Jeff Kiers, costume design is by Dani DeJong, props design is by Shannon Tauber, lighting design is by Nigel Brooke, sound design is by Josh Osbourne, hair & make-up design is by Jessica Blanchard and fight choreography is by Stephen Elcheshen. Production photography is by Dianna Lewis Photography and the stage manager is Rachel Mackenzie.
The Play That Goes Wrong runs May 9 & 10, 13 – 17, 20 – 24, 2025 at 7:30 PM with matinees on May 10, 17 & 24 at 2:00 PM at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium, 32315 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford. For more information and to order tickets, please visit www.gallery7theatre.com or call 604-504-5940.
