Michael Frayn’s hugely successful farce-within-a-farce Noises Off will be performed at the Toledo Repertoire Theatre beginning on January 17th. The play features nine ensemble cast members: Anna Allergrini, Lane Hakel, Doug Kruse, Clara Engel, Aurora Coyel, Wayne Weber, Lydia Schafer, Graig Alexander, and Glenn Ackerman. Wes Skinner and Carol Erford are co-directing. “The show is so intricate that it helps to have two (directors). Things can get hectic, and it’s very fast paced. It’s quite a bit of fun and a lot of hard work,” Erford says.
Three acts, three perspectives
The three acts of this play take the audience through a whirlwind of comedic theatre mayhem. Act I is the final dress rehearsal for Nothing On – a cheesed up sex story involving a clueless cast of inept but lovable B-rated actors and crew members, along with numerous plates of sardines. The failure of the crew to remember their lines more than frustrates the “obscure” director Lloyd Dallas, who frequently enters the stage to argue dubiously with the actors.
In Act II the audience is taken backstage, literally, as the entire set is rotated 180 degrees. According to Erford, “We had to resurface the entire stage so it can handle the weight and rotation of the set.” For this act, the setting is an opening week matinee and the audience gets a glimpse into the “real lives” of the cast and crew. Scandalous affairs, love triangles, unwanted pregnancy, and lots of whiskey all take center stage as the quality of the performance continues to deteriorate in a slapstick fashion.
Because everyone backstage must be quiet, the second act is done in mime. “This requires a lot of precision, so that things can fall correctly”, says Wes.
In Act III, Nothing On, the play within the play, is nearing the end of its run. The stage is spun back around to face, once again, the house. The personal dramas of the characters’ own lives now fully permeate into their rolls, and any semblance of a functional play is completely lost.
Funny but not filthy
Aside from playing two characters at once and having to mime the second act, the actors must also speak with a British accent when they are in character and with an American accent when they break character. This puts it in line with the film version—an American production. While Noises Off contains adult themes, this production is an all-ages show. Skinner claims to have “cleaned it up a bit, so it’s a family show. Swearing has been eliminated, and there’s no ‘shock’ for the audience.”
Noises Off certainly lends itself to the hearts of those who work in theatre, but it is by no means an esoteric piece; there is something here for everyone to enjoy. According to Skinner, “…It’s an audience-understanding type of show, not just for theatre people.”
Opens Friday, January 17, 8pm and runs through Sunday, January 26, 2:30pm. Shows 8pm Thursday-Saturday, 2:30pm Sunday. $20, $18 seniors, $10 students, $5 children. The Toledo Repertoire Theatre 16 10th St. 419-243-9277. toledorep.org.
