HAVE you ever sat in a theatre, watching a play, and thought to yourself, ‘I wonder what goes on behind the scenes?’ Well, with Michael Frayn’s Olivier and Evening Standard award-winning play Noises Off, you don’t have to wonder. Directed by Lindsay Posner, Noises Off tells the story of a touring theatre company stumbling their way through dodgy rehearsals an unconvincing opening night and even worse curtain closing finale.
A farcical, slapstick comedy with bags of effervescent British humour, Noises Off was originally written in 1982, but still stands the test of time following great success at The Old Vic theatre and West End. This month the performance runs from Tue 11-Sat 15 June at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay.
Renowned playwright Michael Frayn has thrilled countless audiences over the years with successful work such as Copenhagen, Afterlife, and Benefactors. Frayne’s inspiration for Noises Off came directly from his debut London play, The Two of Us, a play starring Richard Briers and Lynn Redgrave. “In the closing piece, a farce, they played five characters between them,” explains Frayn. “There had to be a series of quick changes, and when I saw what that entailed, I thought that it was funnier than anything that was happening on stage.” From here, Noises Off was born.
Neil Pearson stars as the play’s hapless director Lloyd, and sums up the play within a play perfectly. “It’s very close to what it must feel like to put on some play that nobody’s proud of in a theatre that is more used to hosting tribute bands.” From his breakthrough role in Drop The Dead Donkey, to appearances in Bridget Jones’s Diary and ITV’s Monroe, Pearson is a familiar face across the UK. The play also features an excellent array of further British acting talent which includes Maureen Beattie – best known to us from The Bill, Lewis and Taggart – alongside David Bark-Jones, Simon Bubb, Danielle Flett, Geoffrey Freshwater, Thomasin Rand and Sasha Waddell.
An hilarious play within a play, Noises Off is a classic British comedy which beautifully captures the fun, frivolity and often absurd nature of life behind the curtain. LAURA RILEY
Noises Off, Tue 11-Sat 15 June, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. Tickets: £18-£32. Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk