Opening night of the Cornely Drama Society’s production of Peter Pan.

CHRIS BEAN, directed the play and plays George Darling and Captain Hook
The uptight director of the Society who has cast himself in the show’s most coveted role. Deeply committed to his art and everything going smoothly. Has utter disdain for the audience and takes his frustration out on them and the rest of the cast.

ROBERT GROVE, assistant directed the play and plays Nana, Peter’s Shadow, and Starkey
Robert likes to think he is a leading man, although he may not entirely resemble one. He truly believes that he can act his way out of every predicament. Committed to the play 100%. Single-minded and bombastic.

FRANCIS BEAUMONT, narrates the play and plays Cecco
A robust professional who, despite his best efforts, fruitlessly tries to keep the production together.

SANDRA WILKINSON, plays Wendy Darling
Ambitious, flirtatious with a huge ego. Believing herself the quintessential leading lady, she tries to steal the scene at every turn that leads her to constantly overact.

DENNIS TYDE, plays John Darling and Smee
Wretched, low status and terrified of being in a play. The sole reason he joined the Society was to make friends, but this has back-fired somewhat. Not a good actor at all but imbues everything with a painful truth.

ANNIE TWILLOIL, plays Mary Darling, Lisa, Tinker Bell, and Curly
After an unexpected taste of the spotlight, Annie is deeply committed to each of her many roles but finds herself biting off more than she can chew.

MAX BENNETT, plays Michael Darling and the Crocodile
Only cast because his uncle put up the money for the production. Devoid of any theatrical talent but longs for the spotlight. Earnest, sincere and sweet.

JONATHAN HARRIS, plays Peter Pan
Handsome “hero” of the play. Jonathan joined the Society for a laugh.

LUCY GROVE, plays Tootles
Robert’s niece in the company. Timid, naïve and vulnerable. She suffers from stage fright and is terrified by the whole experience of performing.

TREVOR WATSON, the Society’s stage manager
Doesn’t like actors, certainly doesn’t want to be one.

GILL AND FINN, Stagehands for the production
Trying their best to help keep the production afloat.

Humble Beginnings

Peter Pan Goes Wrong see’s the hilarious hapless Cornley Amateur Dramatic Society return with their trademark chaos and mayhem, as they attempt to perform the J.M. Barrie classic Peter Pan. The play premiered at the Pleasance Theatre in London in 2013 before touring the UK in 2014 and finally transferring to the West End. Peter Pan Goes Wrong premiered during its festive season in the West End at the Apollo Theatre in 2015/2016, where it was nominated for an Olivier Award.

The play was adapted into a one-hour television special which was broadcast on December 31st, 2016 on BBC One, guest starring David Suchet as the narrator and featuring the original Mischief company. The show was filmed in front of a live studio audience, and when broadcast 6.4 million people tuned in to watch. The special is available to watch for free on YouTube.

Broadway

Peter Pan Goes Wrong transferred to Broadway in 2023 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre for a limited 16 week season beginning March, featuring original Mischief members and with guest appearances, as the Narrator, from Neil Patrick Harris and Ellie Kemper during its run. The production then premiered in L.A. at the Ahmanson Theatre with special guest appearances from Bradley Whitford and Daniel Dae Kim, before Neil Patrick Harris returned to the role until its closing night in September 2023.

More Mischief

The original Mischief company made its way back to TV screens in the UK with The Goes Wrong Show where they reprise their characters to present “live” televised stage plays, which constantly go wrong due to mistakes, accidents and other issues that hamper the company’s efforts. The show premiered with one season in 2019/2020 and returned for a second season in 2021. Episodes are available to watch for free on YouTube.

To learn more about Mischief and their other productions, visit MischiefComedy.com

Original Company of Peter Pan Goes Wrong 

Sir James Matthew Barrie (J.M. Barrie) was born on May 9th, 1860. Born and educated in Scotland, Barrie moved to London as an adult and wrote a number of successful novels and plays. Barrie was the ninth of ten children, born to a modest family. The children were all well educated and their parent’s hoped for them to have professional careers. James was known for his storytelling abilities from a very young age. At the age of six, his older brother David (just shy of his 14th birthday) was killed in an ice-skating accident, devastating the family. Young James would try to comfort his mother, even wearing his brother’s clothes. According to Barrie’s biographical account of his mother (Margaret Ogilvy, 1896), his mother found comfort in the idea that David would remain young forever, instead of growing up and leaving home. Barrie found success and fame through a series of novels that were released in the late nineteenth century, and then turned his attention to theatre. Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up had its first stage performance on December 27th, 1904. The play contrasts the societal constraints of late Victorian/Edwardian middle class domestic reality, with Neverland, a world where morality is ambivalent. The contemporary playwright, George Bernard Shaw, described the play as ‘ostensibly a holiday entertainment for children, but really a play for grown-up people’, which suggested a tendency of Barrie’s work to integrate his beliefs towards societal concerns of the day into his work. In 1911, the play was adapted into the novel Peter and Wendy. In 1929, the copyright on all Peter Pan works was signed over to the Great Ormond Street Hospital, the leading children’s hospital in London. Barrie died of pneumonia on June 19th, 1937 at the age of 77.

Henry Lewis (left) is an Olivier Award-winning writer, actor and is the Artistic Director of Mischief Theatre. Henry writes and performs for the company as well as producing. Henry trained at LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art). Recent credits include: The Comedy About A Bank Robbery (writer and actor – Criterion Theatre – nominated Best New Comedy Olivier Award 2017), The Play That Goes Wrong (writer and actor – U.K. and International Tour, West End – Winner of Best New Comedy at the Olivier Awards 2015 and What’s On Stage Awards 2014), Peter Pan Goes Wrong (writer and actor – West End, U.K. Tour, Pleasance London – Nominated for Best Production and Best Ensemble at the Off West End Awards 2014) Peter Pan Goes Wrong (BBC1), The Royal Variety Performance 2015 (writer and actor – ITV), Keep it in the Family (writer and actor – ITV), Lights! Camera! Improvise! (actor – West End, Soho Theatre – Winner of The Spirit of the Fringe Award), The Improvised Ad Break Live (actor – Comedy Central), The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart (actor – Pleasance), Beasts & Beauties (actor – Hampstead Theatre), The Nativity Goes Wrong (writer – Reading). Outside of Mischief Theatre, Henry teaches at LAMDA and is the co-artistic director of The Trick for whom Henry produced the critically acclaimed revival of Mercury Fur (Old Red Lion Theatre and Trafalgar Studios – Nominated for Best Production & Winner Best Design at The Off West End Awards 2013) and the U.K. premiere of Tracy Letts’ Superior Donuts at The Southwark Playhouse for which he won the Mark Marvin Prize at the Peter Brook Empty Space Awards.

Jonathan Sayer (middle) is an Olivier Award-winning writer and the company director of Mischief Theatre working as a writer, actor, and producer. Jonathan trained at LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art). Select theatre credits include: The Comedy About a Bank Robbery (Criterion Theatre – nominated Best New Comedy Olivier Award 2017), The Play That Goes Wrong (West End, U.K. and International Tour – writer/actor, Olivier Award and WhatsOnStage Award Best New Comedy), Peter Pan Goes Wrong (West End, U.K. tour, Pleasance, London – writer/actor), The Nativity Goes Wrong (writer, Mischief Theatre and Reading Rep co-production), Lights! Camera! Improvise! (Pleasance, Edinburgh, Soho Theatre, Arcola, Underbelly and Krakow Improfest – actor, improviser, producer, Spirit of the Fringe Award 2013), Rachael’s Café (Old Red Lion – general manager), and Happy Birthday Simon (Orange Tree – actor). Television credits include: Peter Pan Goes Wrong (BBC1), Royal Variety Performance 2015 – The Play That Goes Wrong, A Life Less Ordinary (pilot), and The Anti- Social Network (actor). Radio credits include: Not a Love Story (BBC Radio 4 – actor). Jonathan teaches improvisation and has taught at LAMDA, Mountview, and Cambridge School of Visual and Performing Arts (CSVPA).

Henry Shields (right) trained at LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art). He is an Olivier award-winning writer and has been a member of Mischief Theatre since 2009. Select theatre credits include: The Play That Goes Wrong (writer/actor, winner 2015 Olivier Award and WhatsOnStage Award for Best New Comedy), Peter Pan Goes Wrong (writer/actor, 2016 Olivier Award nominee for Best New Comedy), The Nativity Goes Wrong (writer), The Comedy About a Bank Robbery (writer/actor), and The Busy Body (Southwark Playhouse). Television credits include: Peter Pan Goes Wrong (BBC1), A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong (BBC1), and The Goes Wrong Show (BBC1).

FUN FACTS

• Legally Blonde: The Musical premiered on Broadway at the Palace Theatre on April 29, 2007, and ran for 595 performances. It was nominated for several Tony Awards, including Best Original Score and Best Leading Actress in a Musical for Laura Bell Bundy (Elle Woods).
• The musical is based on the 2001 film Legally Blonde starring Reese Witherspoon. However, it adds new songs, characters, and plot elements that are unique to the stage adaptation.
• Beyond its comedic elements, the musical explores themes of empowerment, self-discovery, and the importance of staying true to oneself. It’s known for its upbeat and positive message.
• The musical has been performed in numerous countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, South Korea, and Japan, among others. It has been translated in several languages, adapting the story for different cultures.