Colleen Rockwell ‘18
Staff Writer
Rogers Center for Performing Arts presented Michael Frayn’s play “Noises Off” from April 12-14. The play was directed by Evan Kelly, who is a Lecturer in Theatre and the Associate Director of the Rogers Center. “Noises Off” is play within a play (“Nothing On”) that gives audiences a comedic look at the love—and lies!—that circulate among a group of inept Broadway actors preparing for a play. “Noises Off” was filled with comedy everywhere!
“Noises Off” is a British play with actors speaking in British accents. Using a different accent can be tricky, and the audience could tell that the actors really tried to be as authentic as possible. The play was set up in three acts, and there was one set change during the show. The set for acts one and three was a living room with a couch, coffee table, and two side tables (one against a wall with a phone and the other against the stairs with a television on it). The living room has multiple doors that lead to various rooms in the imagined house, such as a study, kitchen, bedroom, attic, and two bathrooms.
“Noises Off” is a physical comedy with a lot of movement from the characters, and some of the characters movements were hilarious. Marshall’s character falls down the stairs, and it is hysterical. In addition to the physical comedy, funny lines abounded with Ostrowski’s character, Lloyd. The audience could tell that many of his lines were also full of sarcasm and frustration. McNeice’s character, Selsdon, most definitely stole the show because he was old, and had a tough time hearing the stage directions for the play within “Noises Off.” The characters would yell at the same time to tell Selsdon his lines. Lacroix’s character, Tim Allgood, was the set designer who fixed the set when it needed work. This character stepped in for the role of the Burglar and Phillip a few times, and it was funny when Lacroix acted out those characters lines because the other characters would eventually make their way to the stage to act only to find out that Tim Allgood took over.
Overall, Frayn’s play was amazing. It was well-directed, and the comedic lines and physical movements made the play enjoyable for audiences. The actors worked well with each other to get the comedy just right while making the scenes believable.
Little sidebar/box:
The Cast
Allison O’Brien as Dotty Otley/Mrs. Clackett
Griffin Ostrowski as Lloyd Dallas
David Marshall as Garry Lejeune/ Roger
Emily Nichols as Brooke Ashton/ Vicki
Emily Burke as Poppy Norton-Taylor
Johnathan Barbetto as Frederick Fellowes/ Phillip/ Sheikh
Nicholas Lacroix as Tim Allgood
Ian McNeice as Selsdon Mowbray/ Burglar
