Interview: Director Scott Bellis on the Return of Arts Club's NOISES OFF to the Massey Theatre

The Massey Theatre will present Arts Club Theatre Company's NOISES OFF this month from February 15th to 27th. Written by playright, Michael Frayn, this hilarious "play within a play" gives audiences a behind the scenes look of an acting troupe performing a play called "Nothing On". As the show progresses, everything gets more and more chaotic as things start to unravel. This play is guaranteed to have to you smiling all the way through and laughing till your stomach hurts! As this show was done previously in 2020, the Massey Theatre is excited to bring it back to bring audiences joy once again. We had the pleasure of talking with the director of the show, Scott Bellis, who also directed the show previously. We talked about his directing experience past and present, his favourite part of the show, and what he's most looking forward for audiences to see! Read the full interview below!

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I'm super excited to see this show return as I saw it with the Arts Club back in 2020! Are there any differences doing the show this time compared to the previous?

Scott: The more new elements that you insert into a remount, the more challenging it can be. We have one new actor, which has made things a lot easier. He was doing a lot of work on the script and on the show before the rest of the cast got together for rehearsal. He is fitting in really well! It is all coming back to life the way I was hoping and expecting. We are discovering some new things along the way!

This play is one of my personal favourites because of how hilariously rambunctious and chaotic it gets as the show progresses. What is your favourite part of the show?

Scott: My favourite part of the show is the second act when we are looking at the backstage action. I love it for all kinds of reasons because it is all about the interpersonal relationships the characters have and so much of it is done with no dialogue at all! Audiences are always curious about what goes on backstage during a play. A lot of people have that fascination of what goes on and this is such a fun way to explore all of that. We start to see the show that they are doing begin to slowly and surely fall apart, which is a lot of fun!

What is it like directing the show again after 2 years? Did you find it is easier or more difficult?

Scott: It is pretty incredible! For many of us attached to the show, this was the last thing we worked on in terms of live performance before COVID shut everything down in March 2020. All of us coming back together is really special! The cast was closely knit during the run of the show originally and kept in touch over time when possible. Overall, it is really great to be back working together in theatre!

I think you always come into a remount of a show wondering how much you know. Once you begin to get on your feet, you start to reclaim it all and everything comes back. You start digging out all the memories of how things went before and that is what has been happening to us! The cast is really recapturing everything they had before. The timing, rhythm, movement, and packing is all coming back! At the same time, we are also discovering some new things about the show. They are mostly small details, but these new elements freshen things up for the cast.

This is fun question! Which person in the show do you relate most to? It can be the on-stage or off-stage character - whichever one you think fits you the most!

Scott: I kind of go back and forth between a few characters. I certainly relate to Lloyd as he is the director in the show and I am the director of NOISES OFF, but I hope I am doing a better job than him! As an actor (because I am also an actor), I would probably relate to Freddy the most. I relate to him in terms of always wanting to help out and feeling slightly lost at times.

Finally, why should people come see the show and what are you most excited for audiences to see?

Scott: I really think that after the 2 years that we've had, going to the theatre to see a show that is specifically designed to create as many laughs as possible is hopefully going to be a really positive experience. NOISES OFF is the most well-crafted and precise comedy that I have come across. I would even go as far to say that it is probably one of the greatest comedies of the English language in the 20th century. The play was written in 1982 and it still makes us laugh when we are performing it. I think the best thing that audiences can look forward to is just sitting back, relaxing, and having a great time watching all of the craziness unfold on stage.

Arts Club's NOISES OFF will play at the Massey Theatre in New Westminster, BC from February 15th to 27th. Tickets are $75 for adults and $55 for seniors/students (plus service charges). To buy tickets, please visit masseytheatre.com or call 604-521-5050.

Photo Credit: David Cooper with permission from the Arts Club and Massey Theatre