MISTAKES WERE MADE at ACT II Playhouse

Review by Neal Newman

March 29, 2023

MISTAKES WERE MADE by Craig Wright at the ACT II Playhouse is an amusing 75-minute excursion into a day in the life of a theatrical producer who will do ANYTHING to get his show on. Directed by and starring Tony Braithwaite, this producer, Felix, is a consummate liar, hypocrite, groveler, flatterer, and foul-mouthed hurler of viscous tantrums. Braithwaite gives quite a performance, mainly since most of the evening consists of Felix and the telephone. It is a caustic examination of the inner workings of “the business” and a rather sweet examination of what people who love theater will do to stay a part of it.

One-sided telephone conversations have been part of humorous plays for years, but Felix is almost alone in this case. This provides an interesting take on modern society when he can be comfortable with a machine or the phone but unable to deal with actual people. True, he has a secretary, who appears for maybe one minute, and a surprisingly sensitive fish in his aquarium, but Felix is for all human purposes alone. He cannot relate as an honest person to anyone except possibly his fish.

And our hero has numerous hustles in progress. He is primarily known as the producer of bizarre off-Broadway productions such as THE SEAGULL starring Chuck Norris (who asks if the playwright will attend) or THE GLASS MENAGERIE starring Shelly Long. But his impossible dream is a gargantuan Broadway production called MISTAKES WERE MADE about the French Revolution starring a major Hollywood film star. This dream will be his big break. To make it happen, he will promise anything to anyone. He lies to the author, who soon thinks the film star loves his play. He lies to the egotistical star telling him the author will be happy to make mammoth modifications to the script. He lies to the British director telling him everything is “almost” ready. He lies to a caustic agent and is pathetic with his ex-wife. And in addition, he is also involved in some criminal behavior in Belgium and Italy involving an ex-girlfriend that has abandoned him. Will Felix learn from all of this? The author and the actor do provide some positive vibrations in the second half.

Felix and the Fish Photo by Mark Garvin

ACT II’s technical side is, as always, first-rate, as Scenic Designer Adam Rigger and Lighting Designer James Leitner deliver simple but excellent creations. Renee McFillin is suitably annoying as the secretary who fields Tony’s phone calls, and the puppeteer, Laura Mancano, does an uproarious turn with the oversized fish.

Author Wright provides some witty jests, and Braithwaite delivers an abundance of variety as he confronts his various disasters. Still, the play is not quite as memorable as we would wish. I suspect it’s the telephone. Seventy-five minutes with only the phone is too much and not quite enough. Oh yes, the final curtain call goes to the fish.

Running time:  75 minutes without intermission,

MISTAKES WERE MADE plays through April 16, 2023, at 56 E. Butler Avenue, Ambler, PA. Tickets can be ordered at act2.org or by calling 215-654-2000.