The Play That Goes Flawed at Grand Theatre in London, Ontario ~ DownshiftingPRO

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There’s no query—this is among the most confounding performs I’ve seen. The 2025-26 Grand Theatre season opened up with a gala occasion and a comedy which may be the ticket it’s worthwhile to rediscover the magic of dwell theatre. The Play That Goes Flawed runs till November 2nd at The Grand Theatre in London, Ontario. I caught it on the primary evening of the run (not on opening evening), and I’ve been genuinely torn on whether or not to suggest it. What I can say is it has caught with me.

In case you are a fan of bodily comedy, vaudeville-style acts, and relentless operating gags within the spirit of “Airplane” and “Bare Gun,” this manufacturing can be proper up your alley. Personally, this isn’t my favorite type of comedy, however I can’t deny that loads of Grand Theatre patrons have been completely delighted, laughing at each pratfall, flubbed line, and surprising stumble. 

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Below the gifted course of Dennis Garnhum, the forged moved from one mishap to the following with ease. Having labored with many of the forged and efficiently mounted a Western tour, Garnhum appeared relaxed about coming ‘house’ to London with this manufacturing. Because the previous Creative Director of the Grand Theatre from 2017 to 2023, he’s properly versed in what retains the London viewers engaged and entertained.

The timing, significantly from Andrew MacDonald-Smith, Honey Pham, and John Ullyatt, is spot-on.  This isn’t the manufacturing’s first rodeo in Canada.  In 2024, it had profitable stops in Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg.  The Grand Theatre’s ongoing collaboration with Garnhum and Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre is proving fruitful: final 12 months’s partnership introduced us Heist, and this 12 months will embody Disney’s Frozen.  

Garnhum not solely shepherds the forged by completely timed mishaps but in addition cleverly blurs the road between actuality and efficiency proper from the beginning.  At first, the informal apparel of a few of the characters and the presence of the “Grand Theatre” employees make it arduous to inform the place the present begins and backstage ends.  It’s solely when one intrepid forged member makes an attempt to climb out of the balcony that the phantasm snaps—and also you notice, that the chaos is fully by design.  

The immersive confusion units the tone for the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’s disastrous evening, pulling the viewers into the mayhem earlier than the opening traces are even muttered.

Starring Solid

Honey Pham is a standout as Annie, the stage supervisor who’s initially decided to remain within the wings.  Reluctant at first, she’s unexpectedly thrust onto the stage as ‘Florence Colleymoore,’ and what begins as hesitation quickly turns into wholehearted dedication—a lot to the shock of main girl Sandra.  Pham’s comedic timing, expressive physicality, and really priceless reactions assist drive the momentum of the complete present.  Watching her embrace every mishap was a spotlight, and I hope to see her once more on the Grand Theatre.

Vanessa Leticia Jetté tackles Sandra (the dishonest spouse and over-the-top main girl) with spectacular stamina, dragged and flung in regards to the stage evening after evening.  Her chemistry with Pham delivers a few of the funniest scenes in The Play That Goes Flawed.

Andrew MacDonald-Smith and John Ullyatt shine of their twin, play-within-a-play roles.  MacDonald-Smith (as Max, Cecil Haversham, and Arthur) is a hoot—from precarious balcony antics to gleeful stage lunges, he retains the viewers laughing.  Ullyatt, in the meantime, nails the butler Perkins together with his ongoing mispronunciation gag—a easy joke, however dealt with with sufficient finesse and timing to maintain it recent.

Ullyatt is a veteran of the unique Citadel manufacturing and sees this new iteration in another way as a result of with new actors (Jawon Mapp performs Robert (who performs ‘Thomas Colleymoore’)), everybody should alter to completely different timing and interpretations of the character.  He’s skilled sufficient to know that figuring out the kinks will get higher because the present builds momentum.  

And really, the set deserves high billing as a personality.  Crashing chandeliers, revolving bookcases, and collapsing props flip each scene into organized chaos.  Set designer Beyata Hachborn—who additionally crafted final 12 months’s Heist—has outdone herself. I at all times admire a set that’s thoughtfully designed, lovely to behold, sensible in perform, and seamlessly built-in into the storytelling. 

All in all, when you get pleasure from bodily comedy, hijinx, and the pure spectacle of issues falling aside in essentially the most theatrical manner potential, The Play That Goes Flawed will ship a memorable evening out at The Grand Theatre in London, Ontario. 

Particulars to Know: Ticket Value, Location

The Play That Goes Flawed performs on the Spriet Stage on the Grand Theatre from October 14 to November 2. Single tickets vary from $25 to $97 and can be found at grandtheatre.com, by cellphone at 519.672.8800, or on the Field Workplace, 471 Richmond Road, London, Ontario.

Function Picture – Picture Credit score: Pictured: Firm members of The Play That Goes Flawed on the Grand Theatre. Director – Dennis Garnhum. Combat & Motion Director – Morgan Yamada. Set Designer – Beyata Hackborn. Costume Designer – Joseph Abetria. Lighting Designer – Kimberly Purtell. Composer & Sound Designer – Dave Pierce

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Margarita Ibbott is a journey and life-style blogger. She blogs about journey in Canada, the USA and Europe giving sensible recommendation by restaurant, lodge and attraction critiques. She writes for DownshiftingPRO.com and different on-line media shops.