Reviewed by Tony Annicone
The second show of URI’s season is “Noises Off”, a 1982 play by Michael Frayn. The idea for it was born in 1970 when Frayn was standing in the wings watching a performance of “Chinamen”, a farce he had written for Lynn Redgrave. According to Frayn, “It was funnier from behind then in front” and vowed to write a farce from behind. The term “noises off” refers to sounds that occur offstage. Frayn plays on the concept of a play within a play, in this case a play called “Nothing On” in which a young girl runs around in her underwear, men drop their trousers, and many doors continually open and shut. Each of the three acts contain a performance of the first act of the play within a play. Act 1 is set at the dress rehearsal, the night before opening with the cast still fumbling for entrances and exits, missed cues. misspoken lines and bothersome props, most notably several plates of sardines. Act 2 is seen from backstage, providing a view that reveals the deteriorating personal relationships of the cast that lead to offstage shenanigans and onstage bedlam. Act 3 is the end of their 10 week run where personal friction has increased and everyone is anxious for the show to be done with. They attempt to cover up a series of mishaps but end up compounding the problems and draw attention to the bungling performance. The slapstick in the latter two acts is hilarious and where the strength of this script lies. Director Christopher Simpson chose the nine best performers for each of these roles and infuses the farcical elements needed to leave the audience in stitches all evening long.
The marvelous set by Jeffrey Modereger adds to the merriment of the show. He used to design sets at Theatre by the Sea for Four Quest. The audience sees it from the front and back sides of the set. Chris’ cast members have fantastic timing and he provides them with a great deal of clever shtick to perform. Erik Schlicht plays Lloyd the womanizing director. He chastises the performers at their missed lines and cues during the first act but it is the latter two acts that he really gets a chance to shine. Lloyd’s shenanigans with Brooke and Poppy with the mistaken flowers and a bottle of whiskey being given to the wrong one constantly. Erik commands the stage as this authority figure. One of the funniest moments he has is when he gets a cactus stuck to his butt.
Katherine Templeton does a nice job as the absent minded Dotty who has trouble remembering her lines, entrances, props and cues in Act 1. Dotty is secretly in love with her fellow actor, Garry, who is excellently played by Brooks Shatraw. He is very agile as Garry while he constantly runs up and down the stairs, with his shoes tied together in the second act that has to be seen to be believed. He is one of the biggest scene stealers in this show. Brooks also performs a superb pratfall down the stairs. Their constant arguments in Act 2 are hilarious especially all the sexual positions he finds Dotty in with her fellow actors. The sexpot, Brooke is wonderfully played by Ardemis Kassabian who runs around in her underwear during most of the show. Brooke keeps losing her contact lens but is especially funny in Act 3 when she says her lines correctly when she’s given the wrong cues.
The married couple Fred and Belinda who are tax evaders in “Nothing’s On” are excellently played by Daniel F. Greene and Emma Becker. Freddie keeps getting nose bleeds while Belinda keeps trying to cover up for the other performers errors in Act 3. He plays a spaceshot character while she is the bigmouth who spills everyone’s hidden secrets. Omar Laguerre-Lewis is a hoot as Selsdon, the elderly man who is hard of hearing and is also a lush. His drunken antics are priceless especially when he breaks a window and enters at the wrong time. Owen Gilmartin is Tim, the techie who complains about catching up on his sleep in the first act and has to go on as the understudy who gets to go on for different characters in the last act. He is also comical every time he runs off to buy flowers for Lloyd. Last but not least is Olivia Paluzzi as Poppy, the stage manager who is secretly in love with Lloyd, has an affair with him and then blurts out she is pregnant at the messed up last matinee. Sustained laughter greeted this announcement. So for an hysterical night of hilarity, be sure to catch “Noises Off” at URI Theatre.
NOISES OFF (29 November to 9 December)
URI Theatre, Robert Will Theatre, 105 Upper College Road, Kingston, RI
1(401)874-5843 or web.uri.edu/theatre
