Noises Off, Laughter On

Last night, I laughed. Proper hysterical laughter that worked my stomach muscles and made my mascara run. It was not my intention to giggle so hard, but the farcical comedy “Noises Off” at the Old Vic exceeded all expectations- and redefined the term side-splitting. Written by Michael Frayn, the play’s core concept is clever: a play within a play seen first from the front, then from backstage, and then the front again- as a touring theatre company muddle their way through frantic rehearsals to a terrible first night - and an even worse final performance. In the first act, we witness the shambolic dress rehearsal of the play within a play, “Nothing On”, as the cast fumble their entrances, their exits....and their lines. From the word go, it’s mayhem: a dizzy blur of sardines and fake sheiks, banging doors and backstage affairs. But you can’t help admire how controlled this mayhem must be. The comic timing was absolutely spot on- and the brilliance of it is any genuine mistakes just add to the chaotic comedy value. The second act reverses our viewpoint- and now we see the hectic, hilarious commotion backstage on the play’s opening night. Blossoming rehearsal romances from Act One now descend into public performances of petty rivalry and lovers’ spats. This repeated gag is nothing short of hysterical- culminating as the play’s female lead (played by a brilliant Celia Imrie) attempts to get her revenge by tying her lover’s shoelaces together. As he is hilariously forced to jump up the stairs as if on an invisible pogo stick, it would have been fair to say that the entire audience laughed out loud. At full-throttle momentum, the action then switches again- and the chaos of the play’s opening night is now repeated from the front. Cue yet even more disaster, tantrums, and cringe. It’s fun viewing- pure, perfected bedlam. Of course, dramatic irony functions overtime throughout - and, in this sense, the Fawlty Towers-esque music is entirely befitting. The play is riotous and ridiculous - a wonderful throwback to comedy in a truly British sense- farcical, chaotic, and universally appealing. “Noises Off” may be inspired by the stage direction indicating the noises offstage, but last night the entire theatre certainly rang loud with the raucous sound of laughter. With “One Man, Two Guvnors” booked up until mid-Feb, don’t hang around- it’s fairly obvious which ticket will be the next hottest in town.

http://www.oldvictheatre.com/whatson.php?id=80&gclid=CLLltr31lq0CFZMhtAodWC3Vug