Noises Off, Little Town Players

 July 17-19, 24-26, Fred Harper Theatre, Bedford, 7:30 pm, nearly 3 hour run time including two 15 minute intermissions.

This is a robust rendition of a much-beloved farce. You will enjoy yourself with this one!

Michael Frayn's Noises Off is a classic British farce. It is, as the director's note states, "one of the funniest plays ever written." The basic premise is this: act one shows the final rehearsal of a silly sex-farce play (think lots of slamming doors and people in their underwear); act two shows the same material, but as viewed from backstage in a performance weeks later; and act three shows the "front facing" play again, but because we've seen the backstage, we know how to interpret the increasingly deteriorating performances delivered by the actors. It's all screamingly funny, especially the second act, which involves much pantomime and physical humor, because the actors have to communicate quietly in the backstage setting.

So yes. It's a play about putting on a play. I generally detest this genre in other arts (there are far too many films about filmmaking, songs about being a touring musician, novels about writers, etc.). But Noises Off is an exception. It is over-the-top hilarious, and just incredibly fun. This play is classic for a reason.

Director Michael Carter assembled an able cast who did a good job here. And it should be noted that Carter himself had to fill in for one of the actors in this production (which is something that happens in the play itself a great deal. Life imitates art!). 

I do have a few quibbles with the production. The British accents were good but not great. (I confess to being an accent snob, especially on British accents. It's like a singer who sings slightly off pitch: I find myself grinding my teeth and repeating it, correctly, in my head as a kind of critic's echo chamber.) Robin Zimmerman and Lauren Swain did the best on the accents. Doing the play with accents was the right call, and others who are less snobby than myself will surely find them charming. 

The pacing and the humor were good but uneven. It took the audience a while to warm up; several jokes passed us by in the first half-hour before anyone laughed out loud. The first act dragged a little. Act two was thoroughly wonderful, humor-wise, and felt like it whizzed by in no time at all. Act three reached its climaxes very well, but I still found myself wiggling in my seat (pro tip: don't neglect to get up for the second intermission like I did. It's a long sit without that break). 

This was a very strong cast all around. Several performances were a real treat. Stevie Holcomb's Dotty fully embraced the physical humor and showed an entirely believable arc of enthusiasm, storminess, and eventually a hilarious "who cares" attitude. Luke Stump as Garry also stood out for his dynamic performance and charisma. Lauren Swain as Poppy was a true delight to watch and listen to. And Robin Zimmerman was my favorite: so winsome, so funny. I strongly recommend sitting close to the front so you can catch as many words as possible - some actors are easier to understand than others.

But the real star of the show was the ensemble itself. This play requires the actors to work very well together. There's irony in that, since the plot is about a theatrical ensemble that falls apart as the actors' personal relationships devolve.  But in order to do the play well, these actors have to work exceedingly well as a team. And this group nailed it. Smooth slapstick does not happen without intricate coordination and rehearsal; effortless humor requires careful timing and support on stage; and they made it all look easy. At any given moment I could look at any actor on stage and know what they were thinking, get drawn further into their world, and see how it connected with the action of the play. Amazing individuals performing in an amazing team: it's a thing of beauty.

This is why I love live community theater. This is why I drove all the way to Bedford tonight. Real people, grown adults, working together to make something that brings us joy: it's some kind of miracle, and it moves me every time I see it. These people are good at their craft; they have rehearsed countless hours to pull this off; none of them are paid a penny - they just do it because they love it. And all they ask in return is our laughter. Which tonight's audience, once we got warmed up, was all too happy to give them. When we laugh along, we become a part of the ensemble, too - we also are part of the magic. What a treat!

P.S. I should note that the costumes in this production are great fun, especially the underwear. I won't spoil it for you - you have to go see these fantastic knickers and boxers for yourself.  

P.P.S. To whoever makes the program - your volunteer service in this capacity is much appreciated, but please consider looking at other local theaters' programs for inspiration: consider changing the order in which things are listed (director's note and list of acts in the play could maybe not be on the last page?), and consider a slightly larger font.