The Play That Goes Wrong extends in the West End to January 2028

The Cornley Drama Society is not leaving the Duchess Theatre any time soon. Mischief has extended booking for The Play That Goes Wrong in the West End until January 2028, with Mischief giving 31 January 2028 as the new end of the booking period. The news was announced on 9 September 2026, as the Olivier and Tony Award-winning comedy marked 12 years at the Duchess Theatre.

Tickets for the new period are already on sale. On British Theatre, performances are now booking into January 2028, running up to Sunday 30 January 2028, so you can plan anything from a half-term treat next month to a post-Christmas night out the winter after next.

How long is The Play That Goes Wrong running?

According to Mischief’s announcement, booking now runs until 31 January 2028. The new period takes the production into Mischief’s 20th anniversary year. The company was founded two decades ago by a group of drama school graduates, and The Play That Goes Wrong was its first West End show.

Mischief founders Henry Lewis and Jonathan Sayer said: “We are absolutely thrilled, and deeply bewildered, that The Play That Goes Wrong is extending its booking into January 2028.” Looking back to the show’s early days at the Old Red Lion Theatre, when they were “performing to an audience of just four paying customers”, they admitted they “genuinely didn’t think we’d survive the month”.

They added that the extension is “a testament to the incredible support of our audiences, the brilliance of our cast and crew, and the sheer durability of Nigel Hook’s collapsing set designs”, and thanked “the two million plus theatregoers who have joined the chaos”.

Further details of Mischief’s 20th anniversary celebrations in 2028 are expected to be announced in due course. In keeping with the show’s own running joke, the Cornley Drama Society has said it intends to keep performing the play until it finally gets it 100% right, although it has apparently yet to notice the latest extension.

What is The Play That Goes Wrong about?

The premise is a classic whodunnit gone badly off the rails. There has been a murder at a country manor, and an inspector arrives to uncover the culprit. The trouble is that this particular murder mystery is being staged by the accident-prone amateurs of the Cornley Drama Society, and everything that can go wrong does. Doors refuse to open, props disappear, lines are forgotten and the set seems determined to fall apart around the actors, who carry on with total sincerity as the evening descends into mayhem.

What keeps audiences coming back is the precision behind the chaos. Every collapse and mistimed entrance is carefully choreographed, and the physical comedy builds steadily to a genuinely breathless finale. You do not need to know anything about theatre, or murder mysteries, to enjoy it. If you have ever sat through a school play or an amateur production where something went slightly awry, you will recognise the spirit of it straight away. Dates and seats for every performance are on the Play That Goes Wrong tickets page.

The show was written by Mischief’s Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, and it has since become one of the longest-running comedies in the West End. If you want a sense of how the critics responded, our review of The Play That Goes Wrong at the Duchess Theatre is a good place to start.

Who is in the current cast?

The London company named in the extension announcement is Ruby Ablett as Annie, Matthew Spencer as Chris, Raphael Bushay as Robert, Luke Wilson as Jonathan, Lucinda Turner as Sandra, Alex Bird as Dennis, Joshua Lendon as Max and Kieron Michael as Trevor. Winston the dog also returns as Winston the dog, assuming he can be found. The understudies are Paige Round, Harry Al-Adwani, Tom Quinn, Will Bishop and Phoenix Edwards.

The show recasts regularly over a long run, so the company performing later in 2027 may be different. Mischief has not announced who will be in the cast for the extension period.

Is The Play That Goes Wrong suitable for children?

The recommended age is 8 and over, which makes this one of the easier West End picks for families with older children. Children under 5 are not admitted, and anyone under 15 must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over and sit next to them. Everyone needs their own ticket, whatever their age.

It is worth knowing that the production includes pyrotechnics, flashing lights, loud noises, gunshots and plenty of slapstick violence. Death and murder are mentioned throughout, but always within the silly framework of the play within the play. Most children who enjoy physical comedy tend to love it, but if yours is sensitive to sudden bangs, a quick word beforehand helps.

Planning your visit to the Duchess Theatre

Running time. The show runs for about 2 hours, including one interval, so it works well as an early evening out or a weekend matinee.

Getting there. The Duchess Theatre is at 3–5 Catherine Street, London WC2B 5LA, between Covent Garden and the Strand. Covent Garden and Temple Tube stations are both within a short walk. The streets around Covent Garden get busy on show nights, so leave a few extra minutes.

Where to sit. The Duchess is one of the more intimate West End houses. The stalls put you close to the mishaps, while the dress circle gives a clear view of the whole set as it gradually comes apart, which is half the fun.

Best times to book. School holidays, half-terms and the weeks around Christmas are always the busiest periods for a family-friendly comedy like this. If you have your heart set on a particular date, especially over December, it pays to book early.

Book The Play That Goes Wrong tickets

After 12 years at the Duchess and more than two million theatregoers, The Play That Goes Wrong shows no sign of slowing down. With performances on sale on British Theatre up to 30 January 2028, there is plenty of time to see the Cornley Drama Society fail flawlessly. Book The Play That Goes Wrong tickets to choose your date and seats.