Star Wars director JJ Abrams helps The Play That Goes Wrong get it right on Broadway

The Play That Goes Wrong is aiming to get it right on Broadway with the aid of Star Wars: The Force Awakens director JJ Abrams.

The film-maker, who says he saw the play in the West End and “fell in love”, turned theatre producer to take it to New York. The Mischief Theatre company’s chaotic murder mystery farce will open at the Lyceum Theatre on Sunday. Abrams, 50, said: “I was shooting The Force Awakens in London and checked to see what was playing one night. I bought one ticket, watched the play and fell in love.

“I’ve always loved comedies and I feel like I’ve never got to be involved in theatre, which has been a passion all my life. When I saw The Play That Goes Wrong in the West End, I hadn’t laughed — or seen an audience laugh — that hard in so long. It was more than just funny, it was joyous.

“The Play That Goes Wrong has within it a kind of Mousetrap, Agatha Christie, classic British mystery and I feel taking something so distinctly British and turning it on its head is one of the most fun things about it.”

Abrams will be back in London this spring and summer to produce the Second World War horror film Overlord and the sixth instalment in the Mission: Impossible series. He spoke as the first footage from Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the sequel to The Force Awakens, was shown at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

The short clip showed Daisy Ridley’s character, Rey, with her lightsaber.

The Play That Goes Wrong’s original cast, led by its creators Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, are reuniting for the Broadway run. Sayer said: “JJ said he really enjoyed the show and that we should take it to America.

“To be honest, we thought that was just him being polite. But he got in contact quite quickly and he’s played a huge part in getting us out there and has been really involved.” Kevin McCollum, Abrams’s co-producer, said: “If we can be helpful in letting people know who they are and make America laugh again, we’re in a good spot.”

Of the show’s chances of being a hit on Broadway, Lewis said: “I hope the thing we have that will make us stand out is our Britishness and the underdog nature of our show.”

The play has already been produced in Budapest, Paris, Rome, Tokyo and Istanbul. Lewis said: “We hope we have found a brand of comedy that is completely universal. Falling over and silly, fun clowning appeals to everyone.”