The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, fresh from such hits as Two Sisters, The Lion and The Wardrobe, Cat, and James and the Peach, has received a substantial bequest and is putting on a performance of The Murder at Haversham Manor – a 1920s murder mystery play, similar to The Mousetrap, which has the right number of parts for its members.

Before the play starts the backstage staff is making last-minute adjustments to the set, including trying to mend a broken mantelpiece and find a dog that has run off.

During the performance, a plethora of disasters befalls the actors, including doors sticking, props falling from the walls and failing in numerous ways, and floors collapsing.

Cast members fall down, are struck by set pieces, misplace and break props, forget lines, miss cues, break character, drink white spirit instead of whisky, mispronounce words, step on fingers, are hidden in a grandfather clock, and are manhandled off stage.

The production featured the original London cast, and film director J. J. Abrams made his debut as a theatrical producer.

The original tour cast included Brandon J. Ellis as Trevor, Evan Alexander Smith as Chris, Yaegel T. Welch as Jonathan, Peyton Crim as Robert, Scott Cote as Dennis, Jamie Ann Romero as Sandra, Ned Noyes as Max, and Angela Grovey as Annie.

Jason Bowen also initially played Trevor before swapping places with Off-Broadway's Ryan Vincent Anderson.

[citation needed] In lieu of a 2021–2022 national tour, a sit down production was launched at Chicago's Broadway Playhouse.

Tim Walker of The Telegraph gave it four out of five stars, calling it "a great-looking, brilliantly performed piece" and stated that "I have seldom, if ever, heard louder or more sustained laughter in a theatre.

"[31] Mark Shenton of the London Theatre gave it four out of five stars, stating that though the play would not appeal to everyone, "you cannot fail to admire the ceaseless energy of the cast", and shared that "the real surprise is just how well-sustained the joke is.

The Play That Goes Wrong has been translated and licensed for productions in over 30 other countries, namely China, Hungary, Poland, Spain, Greece, Israel, Scandinavia, France, Italy, Iceland, Brazil, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Kosovo, Belgium, The Netherlands, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Turkey, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Taiwan, Portugal (UAU), Croatia, Russia, India (Natak na Natak nu Natak by Sharman Joshi Productions),("Play that goes wrong" by Prathmesh Viveki) " Cyprus and the Czech Republic.