Theater review: Noises Off is exceptionally hysterical, with cunning set and cast choices.
Miscommunication, comedy, doors, sex and sardines are at the forefront of Ryan Holihan’s exceptionally hysterical production of Noises Off, which follows the process of a semi-professional theater company putting on Robin Housemonger’s British sex farce called Nothing On. Just as NBC’s 30 Rock was about a TV show within a TV show, Noises Off takes this meta approach to express the challenges, which are exacerbated through an expert use of verbal and physical humor, that occur when doing theater. The play takes the stereotypical archetypes of the theater world — the diva, the overbearing director, the actor who always needs to know what his motivation is, the overworked crew members and more — and amplifies them, making them so ridiculous that they could only exist in this spectacularly joyous, farcical world.
Noises Off runs for two weeks in Elizabeth Evans Baker Theater in Kantner Hall. The show runs for a little more than two hours and has two intermissions. The first act depicts a rehearsal of Nothing On. The second act focuses on the backstage activity during a performance, and the third act is an actual performance of Nothing On.
Few lines are spoken during the second act, thus it relies entirely on physical comedy, of which this show is plentiful. Shoelaces are tied together; axes are swung around; props, such as a plate of sardines, are thrown across the stage; actors race back and forth and up and down stairs; and sexual miscommunications are had. The stage essentially erupts. It’s quite chaotic but delightfully fun. It’s simply a jolly good time to see this elaborated behind-the-scenes look at the theater world that is a never-ending feast of comedy.
Noises Off would never be successful without an ensemble that works in comedic harmony as this cast does so splendidly. Each one of the nine actors has quite a few moments in the play in which he or she shines and has the audience laughing throughout the entire play. While everyone brings his or her A-game, Kat Bramley can’t help but to steal the show. Bramley plays Brooke in Noises Off and Vicki in Nothing On, both the epitome of the ditzy, attractive actress stereotype. Bramley is better known for her dramatic turns in the Ohio University theater department productions, whether it’s as Rosalind in As You Like It or as Masago in Rashomon. But she made her comedic abilities known from the very first moment she walked on stage with the energized intonation and giant gestures similar to that of a TV game show model. Her funniest moments are as Vicki when she explains how she was left in a cupboard “in the dark!” and when she musters up the ability to yell out her last line, “What’s that, dad?!” It is a sidesplitting performance, comparable to that of Lesley Ann Warren as Miss Scarlet in Clue.
Lisa Bol is splendid as experienced actress Dotty Otley in Noises Off and Mrs. Clackett in Nothing On. Bol expertly switches from one character to the other by the use of different British dialects and stances. Bol packs a punch, literally, in the non-verbal second act but truly steals the spotlight in the third act when things don’t go according to plan for the company. Her delivery of the one-liners to the audience, paired with a triumphant nod, is impeccable.
Thomas Daniels has the most strenuous physical bits as Garry in Noises Off and Roger in Nothing On, who gets his shoelaces tied together, runs up and down the staircases a countless number of times and even falls, face-first, down the onstage stairs. With his usual expert delivery of lines, Daniels masters what could otherwise be a forgotten element of his character: Gary’s inability to complete his own thoughts. While performing as Roger, Gary can recite monologues. Yet, make him improv and he only manages to get out a few words before ending with, “You know?” It’s a role Daniels excels due to his, you know?
Matthew Mikita who plays dim-witted Frederick in Noises Off, who is always asking what his “motivation” is, and Philip in Nothing On also manages to not only make his character’s quirk work, but he also makes it one of the best running gags in the play. Any time Freddie witnesses violence, his nose bleeds. It seems frivolous but couple it with Mikita’s delicate faint — a concept hilariously contrasting his tall stature — and it works every time.
As the temperamental director Lloyd, Jared Davis delivers some of the best biting comedic comments, such as when he compared himself to God and expressed their need for Valium while creating their respective universes. His natural taste for punchy, sarcastic delivery is just what Lloyd needed to keep up with his cast. Plus, that stereotypical director’s scarf is simply too much. Alycia Kunkle’s facial reactions as Belinda in Noises Off and Flavia in Nothing On are unforgettable, unmatchable and priceless. This hilarious performance is reminiscent of Kunkle’s role as Annabella Schmidt and the other women in OU’s The 39 Steps, though Kunkle has much more to do in Noises Off. Marianne Murray somewhat surprisingly makes her role as assistant stage manager Poppy a memorable one. Poppy truly makes her presence known in the second act when the audience sees all of the ridiculous chaos that goes on backstage. Murray screams at the cast, flounces about attempting to evoke Bramley’s Brooke and desperately tries to get everything together. It’s always hilarious to see someone trying to go against fate. Michael Fraser is Murray’s counterpart as he plays stage manager Tim Allgood. Tim is overworked, understudies two actors and has to deal with all of the love triangles. Poor Tim. It’s a good thing Fraser knows how to add just enough charm and “Why me”-attitude to his performance to make Tim a notable member of the ensemble. Lastly, Dennis Delaney, head of the professional director training program, tops off the cast as Selsdon, the elderly actor with alcoholic tendencies. Like a grandpa, he’s forgetful, sometimes crude and can get misplaced. It’s the final cog needed in the wheel of ridiculous characters the play features.
The set is so integral to the story that it can be seen as the “tenth character in the play.” It is two stories and has two sides, one to represent the onstage set of Nothing On and one to display the backstage area of Nothing On. During each intermission, the set rotates to the tune of Monty Python’s “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” to change the setting. It’s a fascinating and impressive build. The signs decorating the backstage area, such as “Low head clearance” and “This job has worked 0 days without an accident,” add an air of such detail that really shows how much passion and joy went into this project. Almost like an eleventh character of the play are the seven doors on the set. Miscommunication is a key trope in the play, and the doors are monumental. People walk into a room unexpectedly or leave just before someone else arrives. The slamming of the doors must coincide perfectly with an actor’s entrance or exit, and this cast nailed it every time.
Noises Off is wickedly funny, and it also manages to serve its purpose in satirizing the world of theater. The absurdity of these situations and characters is so extreme that it easily shows how ridiculous these archetypes are and how crazy the behind-the-scenes theatrical world can be. Theater is hard, and it’s even harder with love triangles, overworked team members, drunkards, divas and more.
So much happens in Noises Off that it’s quite possible for one to miss a certain element like a backstage sign, a background action or gesture or even a main action. Even when there are nine actors running around the two-story set, nothing should be changed. Every moment is one of hilarious detail. Thus, if a moment is missed, it’s more than worth it to see the play again, and probably one more time after that.
@buzzlightmeryl
