Theatre Review: Noises Off, Birmingham Rep
AD: This Press Night Review refers to the 2023 Production of Noises Off at the Birmingham Rep*
Long before “The Play That Goes Wrong” and “Curtains“, playwright Michael Frayn realised that what happens backstage is often more comedic than what’s happening onstage. And so, Noises Off was born. And he has created an utterly joyous farce. First seen on stage in 1982, this “play-within-a-play” has been a huge success in the West End and on Broadway, and is now touring the UK until January 2024.
This 40th anniversary production, directed by Lindsay Posner and starring Liza Goddard, Matthew Kelly and Simon Shepherd, reduced me to tears of laughter. And even made Mr Fletche giggle. A mark of high praise indeed.
The show follows the antics of an incompetent theatre company, touring their slapstick bedroom farce, called “Nothing On”. The six actors are accompanied by a temperamental director, an overworked stage manager and his over-sensitive assistant. Our curtain rises on another curtain rising, and it soon becomes clear that we are watching an unpolished final rehearsal of “Nothing On”. Dotty Otley – a fading TV star played by Liza Goddard – has sunk every penny she has into the production. Seasoned “professional” Selsdon Mowbray (Matthew Kelly) is half-deaf, and more than fond of a tipple or two. The company are less than 24 hours away from opening night in Weston Super Mare. Director Lloyd Dallas (Simon Shepherd) is desperately trying to hold everything together, whilst dreaming of directing Shakespeare instead.
This is a show of three halves. In a clever set switch, we watch the “Nothing On” first act from both the audience perspective and from backstage, so we get the full disintegration of the cast, crew and show from all angles. Each performance becomes more and more shambolic. Cast relationships are irreparably fractured. Murderous feelings are aired from backstage players through the art of mime. And we wonder if the show is going to make it to closing night in Stockton-on-Tees.
It’s fast-paced and cleverly structured. The backstage-set second act in particular is marvellous as the attention is drawn to the cast offstage rather than on. The dialogue is minimal but the physical comedy and well-timed entrances and exits are a joy to watch. We see the “onstage” action through a window, and thanks to watching the calamitous rehearsal I’m never confused as to which point of the first act of “Nothing On” is being performed. My only complaint would be that sometimes there is too much going on.
Liza Goddard brings both perfect comic timing and pathos to her role as doddery Dotty, forever doomed to stagger around stage holding a plate of sardines. Goddard will always be dear to Brummies thanks to her role as Mrs Jessop in Woof!, originally filmed right here in Birmingham. And she nails all Frayn’s witty lines here. Simon Shepherd is a wonderfully stressed Lloyd, mainly playing his first act role from the auditorium. And Dan Fredenburgh gives us some superb physical comedy as the increasingly neurotic Garry, with more than a touch of Basil Fawlty about his performance. Lisa Ambalavanar gamely spends most of the show running around in her underwear as ingenue actress Brooke, but I mostly admire her commitment to steadfastly sticking to the script. A special shoutout goes to Lucy Robinson as gossipy Belinda, providing surprisingly touching maternal moments and desperately ad-libbing in the final scene.
Simon Higlett’s two-storey mansion set is inventively designed to maximise the comedy, with doors and sardines featuring heavily. And the movement of the cast has been intricately choreographed by Ruth Cooper-Brown to ensure that everyone is in the right (or the “wrong”) place at the right time. It looks seamless. But the majority of the wit is in the dialogue, the perfect combination of physical and verbal comedy. This press night audience are highly appreciative of the exhausting performances. Pratfalls aside, it must be immensely difficult for good actors to play bad actors with such authenticity.
Chaotic and hilarious, Noises Off is a classic that has deserved it’s place on stage for over 40 years. The same cannot be said for “Nothing On”.
Noises Off is at the Birmingham Rep until Saturday 9th September 2023 – you can book your tickets here.
Photo Credits: Pamela Raith Photography
*Why is this post marked AD? I was invited to attend Press Night in exchange for an honest review. You can trust that I will always be honest and truthful on A Brummie Home and Abroad, and being an invited guest will not influence my opinion in any way.
