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Theatre in the Park's Rendition of Noises Off! Is a
Master Class on Comic Technique and Delivery

Artwork by K. Mac Design, LLC

Theatre in the Park's current production of Noises Off! is not your typical stage show. It is definitely a comedy, rather than a drama or musical, and has been a staple for both actors and audience members alike. Written by Michael Frayn Noises Off premiered in 1982 in London's West End; and it has been performed pretty much constantly on Broadway (1983-85, 2001-02, and 2016) and in nearly every theater at every level over the past 40+ years.

It is a "play-within-a-play" farce, depicting the travelling cast and crew of an absurd and pointless play. Here is the tricky part for me and any other reviewer. It is extremely difficult to evaluate the performances of actors depicting bad acting. The insipid story that the performance depicts is no help either. The best I can say is that the cast of nine, directed by Ira David Wood IV, was extremely effective.

Nicky Taylor as Garry, Hayley Carter as Belinda, Louise Martin as Dotty, Krystin Bailey as Brooke, Peter Battis as Selsdon, Robert Kaufman as Lloyd, Lorelei Lemon as Poppy, Louie Roman as Tim, and Preston Edgar Campbell as Freddie all hit, and missed, all of their marks if frenetic fashion.

These parts have been played in various incarnations by an amazing group of stage heavyweights. Peter Gallagher, Patricia Routledge, Campbell Scott, Dorothy Loudon, Patty LuPone, Megan Hilty, Victor Garber, Celia Imrie, Andrea Martin, Katie Finneran, Paxton Whitehead, Edward Hibbert, Linda Thorson, Daniel Davis, and Faith Prince have all performed in this gem.

The thing is, that this play is more of a Master Class in comedic timing than anything else. It's more like an M.C. Escher print than a Van Gogh or Monet work. Although they have a form of beauty, the Escher works are more of a technical work of optical illusion. Noises Off has a similar vibe.

Sage Amthor Twiss' set for Act I and III of Theatre in the Park's rendition of Noises Off (courtesy TIP)

The structure of the play is shown in three acts. The first is depicted as a dress/technical rehearsal where pretty much everything that can go wrong does go wrong. Before the second act, the entire set is rotated 180 degrees and the opening matinee is depicted from behind the stage.

Sage Amthor Twiss is credited as scenic designer/master carpenter/props. Sage and crew are the real stars of this production. You can hear much of the play from the first act while watching the complete chaos of the backstage shenanigans. It is a remarkable lesson in comedic timing and slapstick delivery. In the final act, the set again faces the stage normally; and the play is run with a seamless insane version based on Acts I and II.

The Aug. 10th opening-night audience was engaged and amused throughout. The show is appropriate for ages 10 and up, although one of the costumes is a bit risqué, so 12 and up might be better for the less mature. I mention this because this show would be perfect for bringing your kids. If they think that musicals or stage plays are "Boooring," then this will knit them in with a fascinating lesson in comedic structure and delivery. More important, they will laugh ... a lot.

The ticket price is great, at less than the next two superhero movies. It will also give you a lot to talk about with them. The two intermissions were a bit much, but worth it, to execute the set-up.

Director Ira Wood (lower left) poses with the cast and crew of TIP's Aug. 10-20 production of Noises Off (courtesy TIP)

Michael Frayn's NOISES OFF! (In Person at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug 11-13 and 17-20), directed by Ira David Wood IV and starring Nicky Taylor as Garry, Hayley Carter as Belinda, Louise Martin as Dotty, Krystin Bailey as Brooke, Peter Battis as Selsdon, Robert Kaufman as Lloyd, Lorelei Lemon as Poppy, Louie Roman as Tim, and Preston Edgar Campbell as Freddie (Theatre in the Park in the Ira David Wood III Pullen Park Theatre in Raleigh). 2023 SEASON: https://www.theatreinthepark.com/whats-on/season-2023.html. PRESENTER/VENUE:: https://www.theatreinthepark.com/, https://www.facebook.com/theatreintheparkraleigh, https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/10561032/theatre-in-the-park/, https://twitter.com/TheatreInPark, and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6csRm6S7ViHeBuRSlV_fqg. DIRECTIONS: https://www.theatreinthepark.com/visit/how-to-find-us.html. PARKING: https://www.theatreinthepark.com/visit/parking.html. COVID REQUIREMENTS (scroll down): https://www.theatreinthepark.com/welcome.html. NOISES OFF (1982 West End and 1983 Broadway Backstage Comedy/Farce and 1992 Film): https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/2894/noises-off, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/noises-off-4244, https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/19466/noises-off#overview, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105017/, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noises_Off. THE SCRIPT (excerpts): https://books.google.com/books. MICHAEL FRAYN (English playwright and novelist): https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/michael-frayn, https://literature.britishcouncil.org/writer/michael-frayn, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/michael-frayn-7726, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0292450/, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michael-Frayn, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Frayn. TICKETS: $25 ($20 students, seniors 60+, and active-duty military personnel), plus taxes and fees. Click here to buy tickets. GROUP SALES (10+ tickets): Call 919-831-6058 or click here. INFORMATION: 919-831-6058 or info@theatreinthepark.com. PLEASE DONATE TO: Theatre in the Park.

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