This riotous misadventure is the perfect festive treat
Christmas Carol Goes Wrong is a brand new ‘Goes Wrong’ comedy, that sees the chaos and humour of the Cornley Amateur Dramatic Society return with a festive twist.
Written by original Mischief Members Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, the production welcomes back director Matt DiCarlo following critical claim for his West End directorial debut of the Comedy About Spies.
Currently touring around the UK, Christmas Carol Goes Wrong began at the Lowry in Salford, followed by performances at Cheltenham Everyman Theatre, the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff and Theatre Royal Bath before crashing into the West End.
Now playing at the Apollo Theatre, London audiences once again have the chance to reconnect with the Cornley Amateur Dramatic Society and revel in the mayhem as they tackle Dickens with their trademark catastrophic charm.
In Christmas Carol Goes Wrong, the Cornley crew battle miscommunication, delays to their set, actors missing in action and a growing feud over who will play the lead.
The Cast
Turning this Christmas classic into chaos are: Matt Cavendish (original Mischief member) as Max, Daniel Fraser (The Play That Goes Wrong, The Mousetrap, Wolf Hall & Bring Up The Bodies) as Chris, Sasha Frost (Little Red, A Chorus of Disapproval, Noises Off) as Sandra, Chris Leask (The Comedy About Spies, Peter Pan Goes Wrong, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery) as Trevor, Henry Lewis (original Mischief member) as Robert, Jonathan Sayer (original Mischief member) as Dennis, Greg Tannahill (original Mischief member) as Jonathan, and Nancy Zamit (original Mischief member) and Dumile Sibanda (The Play That Goes Wrong, Jack and the Beanstalk, Robin Hood Legend Rewritten) will share the role of Annie.
Returning to the role of Chris after playing him in the tenth anniversary cast of The Play That Goes Wrong, Daniel Fraser is brilliant as the slightly chaotic director. He throws himself into every moment with real commitment and the way he swings between panic, confidence and complete frustration is both very funny and very recognisable to anyone who has ever worked in a rehearsal room.
Henry Lewis once again returns as Robert and brings that familiar mix of swagger, authority and absolute obliviousness that audiences love him for. He storms through the show with full Shakespearean seriousness even when everything is falling apart around him which only makes each disaster funnier.
Joining him from the original cast is Nancy Zamit who returns as Annie. She has a fantastic knack for taking a tiny moment and turning it into a full meltdown without ever losing control of the comedy resulting in a hilarious turn as The Ghost Of Christmas Past – early in Act One.
Jonathan Sayer is back as Dennis and he is as endearing as ever. He plays Dennis with such wide eyed sincerity that you cannot help but root for him. Every missed cue, every panicked glance and every slightly off line delivery becomes an absolute treat.
Greg Tannahill once again plays Jonathan and brings that same wonderfully put upon quality he had in Peter Pan Goes Wrong. His attempts to hold onto even a shred of dignity while chaos moves in around him feel both heroic and hilariously hopeless.
Original Mischief member Matt Cavendish returns as Max and brings all his usual charm. Max’s eagerness to prove himself is a joy to watch and every time he gets even a whisper of the spotlight he grabs it with full enthusiasm before falling straight into the next mishap.
Sasha Frost plays Sandra and adds a confident and commanding presence to the madness. Sandra takes herself very seriously which only heightens the comedy when things begin to crumble.
Chris Leask as Trevor proves why the long-suffering techie is one of Mischief’s most reliable touchstones. After working on his acting, Trevor ends up onstage as the Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come in one of the play’s most hilarious, physical comedy moments, towards the end of Act Two
As with any Mischief production, the full cast is a delight! Seeing original and returning cast members light up the stage with perfect timing, chemistry and chaos is pure theatrical joy.
Funny, clever and full of energy, Christmas Carol Goes Wrong is classic Mischief magic! An uproarious hit.
Christmas Carol Goes Wrong plays at the Apollo Theatre until the end of January before resuming it’s UK tour (see dates below).
If you’re looking for an alternate to Pantoland this Christmas, this riotous misadventure is the perfect festive treat.
London or on tour, don’t hang about! Snag your tickets now, because if Cornley Amateur Dramatics Society are in charge, the box office may collapse at any moment!
★★★★★
Reviewed by Stuart James
UK Tour dates following the West End run
Nottingham Theatre Royal
Tuesday 27 – Saturday 31 January 2025
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 February 2026
Edinburgh Festival Theatre
Tuesday 10 – Sunday 15 February 2026
Glasgow King’s Theatre
Tuesday 17 – Sunday 22 February 2026
Canterbury, Marlowe Theatre
Tuesday 24 February – Sunday 1 March 2026
Take a look at what other shows are playing in London’s West End
