Through May 18
Noises Off, now at the Hanna Theatre, proves farce is alive and well. Written by Michael Frayn and directed by Christopher Liam Moore, the play exuberantly celebrates theatrical disasters.
Unlike the two previous Great Lakes Theater sets this season (ones with flooring that asked imagination to fill in the blanks), this one is “old-school traditional.” Scenic designer Jeff Herrmann crafted a two-story interior with a living room furnished with sofa, coffee table and television. It also includes a staircase to the second floor. And yes, its seven doors (plus other unexpected entrance points) signal classic farce ahead.
When the play opens, we observe housekeeper Dotty Otley (a comically confused Jennifer Joplin) riffing on sardines. Dotty loves them and constantly asserts all she wants is to eat sardines and watch “the telly” while the owner is away. Then the phone rings and sets off mayhem over the next three acts. Gradually we meet other characters as they enter the house — each bringing a different brand of chaos.
Midway in the first act a godlike voice comes from the audience. The bossy man bounds onstage, and we learn it’s Director Lloyd Dallas (an intimidating Topher Embrey). Turns out we’re watching a rehearsal.
For Act Two the stage revolves and suddenly we see backstage — where things are even more chaotic (but quieter).
Act Three flips the stage again and all the little interpersonal backstage relationships revealed previously combine to birth more craziness.
The cast revels in physical comedy. For example, there’s Jeffrey C. Hawkins as Garry Lejeune, a man who has never met a flight of stairs he couldn’t tumble down. Kinza Surani also excels as Brooke Ashton, an airhead extraordinaire who poses more than she speaks.
Then there’s also handsome and clueless Frederick Fellowes (Nick Steen), relentless drunk Selsdon Mowbray (David Anthony Smith), and mildly bossy and usually correct Belinda Blair (Laura Welsh).
Easiest to identify with were stagehand Tim Allgood (Domonique Champion) and stage manager Poppy Norton-Taylor (Zoë Lewis-McLean). Why easy? Because no matter what they did to keep the ship (aka the show) afloat, it kept sinking due to the craziness of those they worked for.
Credits for this relentlessly comic production should also go to Oona Natesan (costumes); Jason Lynch (lighting); Patrick John Kiernan (sound). Nicki Cathro (stage manager) and Kelsey Malone (assistant).
Bottom Line: Carefully timed classic farce that celebrates comedy’s messy moments. No wonder it’s one of the most popular plays around. The Great Lakes team gives it its proper due, although I did wonder upon leaving, “How would I know if panicked players playing players in a play made up a line?” (But that’s just me, recalling my own real-life onstage panic, not theirs.).
[Written by Laura Kennelly]
