Liza Goddard, Matthew Kelly and Simon Shepherd Join the Cast of UK Tour of NOISES OFF

The 40th anniversary production of Michael’s Frayn’s multi award-winning farce, Noises Off is heading out on a major UK tour this autumn, following a sell-out West End season at the Phoenix Theatre earlier this year. Directed by Lindsay Posner, the touring production will star Liza Goddard as Dotty Otley, Matthew Kelly as Selsdon Mowbray and Simon Shepherd as Lloyd Dallas. They will be joined on tour by Simon Coates as Frederick Fellowes, Lucy Robinson as Belinda Blair, Daniel Rainford as Tim Allgood, Dan Fredenburgh as Garry Lejeune, Lisa Ambalavanar as Brooke Ashton and Nikhita Lesler as Poppy Norton-Taylor. 

Noises Off will open at Birmingham Rep on 23 August for three weeks, before touring to a further 13 cities nationwide until 13 January 2024 including: Newcastle, Bath, Truro, Blackpool, Poole, Salford, Guildford, York, Norwich, Aberdeen, Milton Keynes, Sheffield and Chichester. Further dates and casting for 2024 to be announced. 

One of the greatest British comedies ever written, Michael Frayn’s celebrated play serves up a riotous double bill, a play within a play. Hurtling along at breakneck speed, Noises Off follows the on and off-stage antics of a touring theatre company as they stumble their way through the fictional farce, ‘Nothing On’. From the shambolic final rehearsals before opening night in Weston-super-Mare, to a disastrous matinee in Ashton-Under-Lyme seen entirely, and hilariously silently, from backstage, we share their final, brilliantly catastrophic performance in Stockton-on-Tees. 

Liza Goddard’s extensive stage comedy credits include Life of Riley, Communicating Doors, Season’s Greetings and Relatively Speaking. Matthew Kelly won the Olivier Award for Of Mice and Men and his West End credits include Waiting for Godot, Comedians and Troilus and Cressida. Simon Shepherd’s many stage and TV credits include Peak Practice and West End productions of Posh, The Duck House, Rapture, Art and Hay Fever. 

Hailed as the master of farce comedy, multi award-winning playwright and novelist Michael Frayn has inspired a generation of comedies since his production of Noises Off first opened in 1982. Now considered a comedy classic, Frayn’s legendary play has enjoyed stagings worldwide, including five productions in the West End and three on Broadway. 

The 40th anniversary production also returns to the West End in September playing at the Theatre Royal Haymarket with Felicity Kendal, Jonathan Coy and Alexander Hanson reprising their roles. The West End production will run concurrently with the touring production. 

Noises Off is written by Michael Frayn. Directed by Lindsay Posner, with design by Simon Higlett, lighting by Paul Pyant, sound by Gregory Clarke, composition by Will Stuart, movement and fight direction by Ruth Cooper-Brown and casting by Ginny Schiller. The Associate Director is George Jibson. Produced by Theatre Royal Bath Productions in association with Birmingham Rep. 

Tour Dates

Wed 23 – Sat 9 Sep

BIRMINGHAM Rep

BOX OFFICE 0121 236 4455 | birmingham-rep.co.uk

Tue 12 – Sat 16 Sep

NEWCASTLE Theatre Royal

BOX OFFICE 08448 11 21 21 | theatreroyal.co.uk

Tue 19 – Sat 23 Sep

BATH Theatre Royal

BOX OFFICE 01225 448844 | theatreroyal.org.uk

Tue 26 – Sat 30 Sep

TRURO Hall for Cornwall

BOX OFFICE 01872 262466 | hallforcornwall.co.uk

Tue 3 – Sat 7 Oct

BLACKPOOL Grand Theatre

BOX OFFICE 01253 290 190 | blackpoolgrand.co.uk

Tue 10 – Sat 14 Oct

POOLE Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts

BOX OFFICE 01202 280000 I lighthousepoole.co.uk

Tue 17 – Sat 21 Oct

SALFORD The Lowry

BOX OFFICE 0343 208 6000 | thelowry.com

Tue 24 – Sat 28 Oct

GUILDFORD Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

BOX OFFICE 01483 44 00 00 | yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

Tue 31 Oct – Sat 4 Nov

YORK Theatre Royal

BOX OFFICE 01904 623568 | yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

Tue 7 – Sat 11 Nov

NORWICH Theatre Royal

BOX OFFICE 01603 63 00 00 | norwichtheatre.org

Tue 14 – Sat 18 Nov

ABERDEEN His Majesty’s Theatre

BOX OFFICE 01224 641122 | aberdeenperformingarts.com

Tue 21 – Sat 25 Nov

MILTON KEYNES Theatre

BOX OFFICE 0844 871 7652 | atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes

Tue 28 Nov – Sat 2 Dec

SHEFFIELD Lyceum Theatre

BOX OFFICE 0114 249 6000 | sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

Tue 9 – Sat 13 Jan

CHICHESTER Festival Theatre - ON SALE SOON

BOX OFFICE 01243 781312 | cft.org.uk

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