Peter Pan Goes Wrong coming to Birmingham

Following their multi award-winning success with The Play That Goes Wrong and The Comedy About A Bank Robbery, Mischief Theatre are back with their riotous spin on a timeless classic, the West End smash hit Peter Pan Goes Wrong. And everything that can possible go wrong does.

The action centres on members of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society who are back on stage, battling technical hitches, flying mishaps and cast disputes as they attempt to present J.M Barrie’s much-loved tale. But will they ever make it to Neverland?

Fast becoming a global phenomenon, currently performing in five continents and 35 countries, Mischief’s unique brand of comedy has found universal appeal. Fans can brace themselves yourselves for an awfully big adventure.

Star of the show George Haynes was previously a member of the National Youth Theatre and starred in The Play That Goes Wrong in the West End.

He says the show is brilliant fun. “It’s great. I think what’s most enjoyable about this series is that the reaction from the audience is different every night. That gives it a real variety and keeps it in the moment.

“Peter Pan Goes Wrong reacts very strongly with the audience, they are the extra character. Physically, the role is very challenging. It’s similar to The Play That Goes Wrong in terms of actors not quite remembering their lines correctly. And I’m not giving too much away by telling you that the cast that starts the show isn’t the same as the cast that ends the show – various replacements happening throughout. You can count on the set not behaving itself too.”

The show features a bigger budget than previous shows, with a revolving stage and all the mishaps that come with it.

Haynes was working on other projects when he got the call to feature in Peter Pan Goes Wrong.

“I’ve joined the tour halfway through, I’m covering an illness for someone who had to drop out,” he says. “My rehearsal process was a very quick one. I had a couple of days to learn the lines and a day to rehearse on the set, then a dress rehearsal.

“Usually, it’s four weeks and that’s great fun, but this was much quicker. Lots of the work that we do is based around improvisation, so we’ll play games. So if we are playing the actors we might do an improvisation where we arrive at the theatre and put on the play.”

Haynes has brushed up on his comedy skills as a consequence of featuring in the Play That Goes Wrong series.

“People sometimes imagine comedy is the easy option but making something funny can be really hard,” he continues.

“It’s all about the timing. When I worked on The Play That Goes Wrong in London for a couple of years it was the perfect education on how to make the comedy of the timing right. You could try out different things each night. It’s so satisfying when it works. You find the thing that really gets the audience laughing and there’s nothing better.

“I think what’s brilliant about the goes wrong series is that it’s suitable for everyone, from a five-year-old to a 95-year-old. People enjoy it in different ways and there’s something in it for everyone. It’s not political or current affairs, it’s universal enjoyment. People can escape and enjoy a real laugh for a few hours. You’re watching the actors get hurt on stage and laughing, but you are rooting for them to succeed. They are trying their best on stage and it’s just all going wrong. There is a resolution and a success at the end of it, which is really beautiful.”