**** Highly Recommended Although Noises Off is the funniest farce ever written, I was really surprised to hear that Steppenwolf was bringing it back. Maybe I’m being a tad judgmental here, but Noises Off didn’t seem ‘edgy’ enough for Steppenwolf. On the other hand, as I heard people talking during intermission, I realized there are a lot of young people who have never seen a production of this absolutely hilarious show – and were loving it! It was obvious the cast was loving it too – overacting their hearts out! I loved Noises Off, you will too. 4 BIG Spotlights
In this play within a play, a troupe of second rate (British) actors is rehearsing, then performing the first act of “Nothing On,” a lame comedy featuring feuding actors, slapstick comedy, slamming doors, a pretty girl in her underwear, a traveling whisky bottle and sardines.
There are three acts but don’t let that intimidate you. Be aware that Act I has its funny moments, but it is really a set-up for what follows. Act II offers the audience a rare opportunity to go backstage during a production – and see the feuding cast and the chaos they create. Act III occurs three months later, on the final stop on the tour, with the feckless cast just going through the motions.
There is a widely held theatrical superstition – that a bad dress rehearsal means a good opening night. In Noises Off, however, beleaguered Director Lloyd Dallas (Rick Holmes) is just hoping to finish a disastrous marathon dress rehearsal before the opening night curtain! If it can go wrong it does – cues are missed, lines are blown, props are missing, doors won’t open/close, an actress loses a contact lens, and then there’s Selsdon Mowbray (Francis Guinan), an old drunk Dallas cast as the Burglar in a weak moment.
Dotty Otley (Ora Jones), an actress of a certain age who has put life her savings into this production is playing Mrs. Clackett, housekeeper. Her employers have decamped to Spain to avoid the taxes leaving her to deal with the estate agents. Dotty can never quite remember what to do with a plate of sardines.
Gary Lejeune (Andrew Leeds) as estate agent Roger Tramplemain can never express himself without using ‘you know’ at least three times in a thought. Thinking the house would be empty, Roger brought Vicki, played by Brooke Ashton (Amanda Fink), for an assignation. Vicki goes into the bathroom as Dotty walks in from the den, freaking Roger out. As soon as Dotty goes in the kitchen, Roger and Vicki go upstairs to find a bedroom but one door won’t open, another won’t stay closed so Lloyd calls Tim Allgood (Max Stewart) to fix them
Just then, playwright Philip Brent, played by Frederick Fellowes (James Vincent Meredith) and his wife Flavia, played by Belinda Blair (Audrey Francis), arrive. They are delighted to be home, but are still avoiding the taxman. When Dotty sees them, they tell her she never saw them. When Lloyd stops the action once again, Belinda fills him in on all the cast gossip – Dotty and Gary are involved; Frederick’s wife just left him.
The only gossip Belinda didn’t know was that Lloyd is involved with Brooke and with Poppy Norton-Taylor (Vaneh Assadourian), the stage manager. When no one can find Selsdon, they assume he’s on a bender, and Lloyd calls Tim to replace him. Selsdon turns up, exactly when he’s supposed to, and even knows his lines! All bets are off when a bottle of booze turns up backstage and the cast plays keep-away.
Kudos to Director Anna D. Shapiro and the cast and crew for a brilliant performance. The audience couldn’t stop laughing! By the way, the English country home set designed by Todd Rosenthal, is gorgeous - but wait, the entire stage revolves revealing that it’s all smoke and mirrors and chaos backstage.
Playwright Michael Frayn got the idea for Noises Off while standing backstage watching rehearsals for another farce he’d written. He completed the one-act prototype, Exits, in 1977. After extensive rewriting, Noises Off had successful London opening in 1983, with its West End run lasting five years. It premiered on Broadway in 1983, earning several Tony nominations winning a Drama Desk Award for Best Ensemble. It has since become a staple of both professional and community theater.
Noises Off has been extended through August 4th in the Downstairs Theatre at Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted Street, Chicago. Self-parking is available in the Steppenwolf Garage, accessible parking in the lot north of Front Bar. Valet parking is also available.
Running time is two hours, 50 minutes, with two intermissions. Performances are Tuesdays through Fridays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 3:00 & 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3:00 pm. NOTE: There will be no 7:30 pm performances on Tuesdays, October 1st & 22nd; Wednesdays, October 9th & 16th; and Thursdays, October 3rd & 10th. There will be a 2:00 pm matinee Wednesday, October 16th; the matinees on Saturday, November 2nd and Sunday, November 3rd will be at 2:00 pm.
Accessible performances: Audio-described & touch tour, Sunday, October 13th at 3:00 pm (1:30 pm touch tour); Open-captioned, Saturday, October 12th at 3:00 pm and Thursday, October 17th at 7:30 pm; ASL-interpreted, Friday, October 18th at 7:30 pm; Relaxed/Sensory-Friendly, Saturday, October 19th at 3:00 pm. Tickets range from $20-$148. FYI (312) 335-1650 or www.steppenwolf.org.