Review: NOISES OFF, Richmond Theatre

Noises Off is the original play that goes wrong. Michael Frayn's farce-within-a-farce is now forty years old and this revival both amuses and resonates more powerfully than ever.

In a masterful skewering of the theatrical world, a shambolic company of actors try to stage a story of mistaken identities called Nothing On. The audience sees the same play three times; a chaotic and slapstick rehearsal from the front, the backstage view of a matinee and then the final, catastrophic performance.

Lindsay Posner returns to the play after his excellent 2011 production at The Old Vic. His production is chaotic, frantic, but also leaves space for you to feel sympathy for many of the characters themselves. Farce should look effortless, but it is one of the hardest genres to pull off convincingly: Posner directs with a precise and meticulous eye for detail, but also allowing the characters to feel human. It is also incredibly funny.

Felicity Kendal is an inevitable draw as former star Dotty Otley, but is well-supported by an excellent cast. Joseph Millson is a standout, as the bombastic lead actor Garry Lejeune. His physical comedy is wonderful, as his disintegrates along with the show. His habit of standing with his legs set wide apart, not unlike the Tory 'power-stance' of recent times, is both ridiculous and very funny.

Tracy-Ann Oberman has a wonderful time as luvvy Belinda Blair, wafting around the stage with a truly impressive mane of blonde hair, attempting to soothe and cajole other characters. Her faux-balletic backstage warm up is a highlight. Matthew Kelly is also utterly convincing as the inebriated and wandering Selsdon.

There is another side to the laughs: Jonathan Coy plays Frederick Fellowes, the actor who questions everything, very sympathetically. We laugh at him, but also wince at his treatment. Alexander Hanson is firm and less-than-fair as harrassed director Lloyd and although is tirades are very amusing, you can see the discomfort and impact on the faces of the stage manager (Pepter Lunkuse), stagehand (Hubert Burton) and betrayed actor Brooke (Sasha Frost).

The cast handle the physical rigours of Posner's direction with deftness and precision. Antics such as Joseph Millson catapulting up the stairs with his shoelaces tied together and a scene featuring an axe being passed around members of the cast by various means are slick and convincing. It must be exhausting, but the cast never falter.

Designer Simon Higlett has created an impressive set, that neatly rotates between acts to show the front and back of the realistic stage.

In a case of life imitating art, curtain up was delayed on press night due to 'technical issues'. Even with the commanding set to rotate, the intervals were overly-long and interrupted the flow of the production a little.

However, this is a sparkling revival of a wonderfully written play. Mischievious, silly and beautifully performed.

Noises Off is at Richmond Theatre until 15 October, then touring

Photo Credit: Nobby Clark

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