Hello, my name is Shaun!
What did you do on the weekend, Shaun?
This weekend I saw the new show from the magnificent Mischief Theatre called Groan Ups.
It’s a brilliant show that once again showcases why this theatre company is more than just “goes wrong shows” that while yes, they’re fantastic at blending the mix of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers and The Play That Goes Wrong is their top show.
Meanwhile, the Olivier Award winners Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields prove that they can write fantastic characters telling individual storylines in this linear storyline injecting heart and audiences major flashbacks to their school time and delivering possibly their best comedy.
Then you’ve got the fantastic recurring cast of Dave Hearn, Charlie Russell, Nancy Zamit and showcasing their understudies. All these actors deserve the chance to be household names with the upcoming BBC show, The Goes Wrong Show.
Speaking of the audience, this is what Mischief Theatre have done wonderfully is making the theatre accessible for everyone with their cheapest ticket at £20 at the Vaudeville Theatre. Then you have their two other shows The Play That Goes Wrong and The Comedy About A Bank Robbery touring the UK.
I’ve been a fan of Mischief of several years, from the first time seeing Bank Robbery and then the tour show of Play Goes Wrong and finally the beginning of last year the short run of the fantastic Mischief Movie Night.
You bet I’ll be at the Vaudeville to see their newest show Magic Goes Wrong.
So Mischief has tackled many genres, magic, coming-of-age, classic theatre with Peter Pan Goes Wrong, murder mystery and heist.
Now here are some suggestions to what we could see next from Mischief Theatre.
Romances
A large element of Mischief shows is love and with romantic comedies my favourite genre I believe this talented company could do the genre fantastic justice.
Have it set round a wedding with the first half on the build up ending in the wedding and the second half on the party as it unvails as guest and parents get drunk.
It could either be a straight or gay wedding, it doesn’t bother me.
If they went for a gay wedding I’d love to see Hearn and Shields as the couple with Russell as the wedding planner and Lewis as the best man.
Henry Shields 
Dave Hearn
On the other hand, with a lesbian wedding then Russell would 100% be the lead to fully showcase her talents and would look better in a suit than I ever could with Bryony Corrigan as her bride as it seems the company see her as a future headliner with Zamit the best man/MOH.
Charlie Russell 
Bryony Corrigan
Meanwhile, with a straight wedding keep Hearn and Corrigan as the couple with Russell as the planner, Shields the best man and Lewis as the drunk uncle that reveals a massive secret.
Aladdin Goes Wrong
Aladdin is a hot property once again thanks to the stage show and the mega-hit movie. It would also be a musical and once again this company have proven to smash out a musical number.
The announcement could be done in character of The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society with Shields’ Chris Bean and that they’ll be searching for their Aladdin and Princess Jasmine.
It could be newcomers or someone within the company at their other shows but would have it in Bean’s self-interest to play the villain Jafar. To be honest, as long as Zamit plays the Genie it’s all good as she’s the only one to the character justice.
Horror
Now, this obviously won’t be a jump-scare horror, but if it was along the lines similar to the movie Ready or Not. Which is incredibly entertaining and fall of dark comedy that would be fun to see Mischief play in this genre, especially as a slasher.
If we can buy them as 5-year-olds and teenagers in Groan Ups then we could buy them as teens at camp again playing on the cliché of it. Make Sayer the cool jock, Zamit is the Blonde, Lewis is both the Exposition and Antagonist and Shields as the smart Sceptic.
The Couple could be handled by Hearn and Corrigan again, an understudy as the Black Guy and finally, Russell is the Protagonist that survives.
Sherlock Goes Wrong
The follow-up of Aladdin for The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society tackles one of literature greatest characters in the form of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes.
This would be the magnificent leading man return for Shields’ Bean with Russell and Lewis fighting it out for the role of Watson with the one losing out being Moriarty.
The Bear Cave 