Luke Woods as Freddie kisses Sherry Curl-Hall as Dotty backstage during the matinee performance of “Nothing’s On,” from “Noises Off,” as presented by the Twin Beach Players.
Noises Off, a farce by Michael Frayn, opened with the Twin Beach Players (TBP) Friday, April 17 at the North Beach Boys and Girls Club on 9021 Dayton Avenue in North Beach. Remaining performances are scheduled for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, April 23, 24, 25 at 8 p.m., and Sunday April 26 at 2 p.m.
Noises Off ( “off” as in a theatrical stage direction to cue sounds from offstage) was written in 1982 by British playwright Michael Frayn who has continued re-writing and updating his play ever since. The last revision occurred in 2000. The 1992 movie was directed by Peter Bogdanovich and starred Carol Burnett, Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve, John Ritter, Nicollete Sheridan, Denholm Elliott, Julie Hagerty, Mark Linn-Baker and Marilu Henner.
There are many things “off” (“off” as in “wacky”) about TBP’s Noises Off, but that is by design and includes zany characters, a ridiculous plot, a multitude of sight gags, and British humor. And there are also many things that are “on” about Noises Off; spot-on, in fact. The list includes an ensemble of nine actors that is acrobatically adept both verbally and physically, a gifted director—Sid Curl, director/actor/TBP president—who is able to keep the onstage mayhem under expert control, and a magnificent multi-tiered set constructed on casters that has more twists and turns going for it than an Agatha Christie murder mystery thriller (ditto that description of the plot).
In his director’s notes, Mr. Curl gives credit to this phenomenal set as the “10th actor” and graciously thanks master stage carpenters Richard Keith Sr. and Adam Knight for their amazing stage artistry, as well as set dresser Wendy Cranford for creating the 16th century remodeled English manor and Costumer Dawn Denison for her distinctive designs.
It really doesn’t matter what the plot is for this play-within-a-play. The audience will see Act I a total of three times—first in Act I, again in Act II and last of all in Act III. And it will never be the same. And it doesn’t matter. Whatever it is that you might not catch on the first time around, you may or may not catch the second or third time around. And the reason it won’t matter is because—with apologies to William Shakespeare – the play is NOT the thing. The “thing” here is the delight in watching the actors—as we first meet them during their stressed-out last-minute late-night final dress rehearsal—cope with not only their on-stage pandemonium, but with their own personal and inter-personal traumas as well.
You may be thinking at this point ‘how is all of this funny?’ Well, it’s not merely funny; it’s hilarious.
Dotty Oakley (Sherry Curl-Hall) has invested all of her money in a touring production of Nothing On, and has hired Director Lloyd Dallas (Keith Mervine). Dotty herself is enjoying an intimate relationship with leading man Garry Lejeune (Ethan Croll) who is confused over his character’s reaction to Brooke Ashton (Kate Harrison) who fetchingly parades around the set for most of the three acts in her saucy underwear and is interested in the rental house owned by tax exiles Frederick Fellowes (Luke Woods) and Belinda Blair (Amy Prieto). Add to the mix an inept cat burglar (Jeff Larsen). But in the play within a play, Dotty plays Mrs. Clackett, Garry plays Roger, Brooke plays Vicki, Frederick and Belinda play Philip and Flavia Brent and Selsdon plays Selsdon. Oh, yes, and then there’s Tim Allgood (Kevin McCoy) as the frantic stage manager, and Didi Olney as long-suffering Assistant Stage Manager Poppy Norton-Taylor.
Act I is set in the living room of the Brent country home on the evening of Monday, January 14. As the actors begin rehearsing, they are interrupted by Director Lloyd Dallas who frequently emerges from the audience to offer advice. Dotty is the first to encounter his temper as she keeps forgetting where the plate of sardines should be placed–on- or off-stage? And when? As she exits, we meet Garry and Brooke who are trying to engage in a little “tryst.” Freddie and Belinda enter, unaware of the first couple’s presence. Freddie, who is subject to sudden-onset nosebleeds when stressed, which is often, opens some troubling mail regarding his tax status.
Selsdon makes the first his many “faux” entrances, shattering the lovely stained-glass windows as he does so. Rehearsal comes to a halt to reset the windows.
Superglue eats through Freddie’s trousers just as he is discovered by Garry and rehearsal stops yet again when those who have lost trousers or dresses disguise themselves in robes, until all of the characters are eventually “exposed.” Is Lloyd having an affair in real life with Brooke? Or with Poppy? Or both?
When Act I’s chaos comes to end, the audience is treated to the marvel of the stage crew revolving the massive set in merely a few second’s time during Intermission.
And now for Act II we view an array of staircases on multiple levels. This is “backstage” at the February 13 matinee of Nothing On. Will our cast be able to pull itself together to give a competent performance? Backstage is now a quagmire of intrigue as roles may need to be filled by understudies. Poppy understudies Brooke, Tim understudies Selsdon and Freddy, Dotty’s locked herself in the dressing room, and neither Garry or Selsdon are anywhere to be found (Selsdon does like his whiskey). Lloyd makes a surprise appearance; he was supposed to be off somewhere directing a production of Richard III, but he’s shown up to greet his girlfriend(s). Lost actors are found, the curtain goes up, but the antics continue.
There is so much going on during this act that it’s hard to know where to look. The audience sees the backstage confusion, but the actors are “performing” for the unseen matinee audience on the other side of the set. This act is the true showpiece of the play during which the cast re-enacts Act I for the off-stage audience as the actors’ shenanigans become more manic by the minute.
Kudos to the actresses who spend the evening running up and down the steep staircases over and over and over again in their high heels. It seems that Poppy is the only one wearing “sensible shoes.”
During the second intermission, the set is masterfully revolved for Act III and once again becomes the living room of the Brent’s country home.
Stage manager Tim now welcomes us to the Saturday, April 6 evening performance in Act III with great comic flair. And the play begins again. You would think the cast would have everything down pat by now, but Dotty is slightly frazzled and misplaces the plate of sardines, we are treated to an amazing sight-gag pratfall by Garry, who puts John Ritter’s legendary Three’s Company stunts to shame, and somehow we end up with three burglars taking turns coming through the stained-glass windows.
If you are thinking this will be the same-old, same-old re-run of Act I, be assured that it is not.
All of the actors’ voices project well in the hall, which has rather tricky acoustics, with convincing British accents. Sherry Curl-Hall has been acting since age 4 and is a veteran of TBP, having recently been seen as Mina in Dracula. She is obviously relishing her role here as the housekeeper with an attitude. Making her TBP debut is Kate Harrison who is the epitome of the term “dumb brunette.” She is delightfully ditsy as Brooke, and does not seem at all shy about performing in her underwear.
Ethan Croll appears in his third TBP show; last year he portrayed the Cab Driver in Harvey. As Garry, he endeavors to be in complete control at all times and becomes wonderfully flustered when he is not.
Luke Woods is a founding member of TBP and has performed as Felix Unger in The Odd Couple among many other roles. His character is properly British—except for the unfortunate situation with tax evasion—and he strives to retain his composure even while nursing nosebleeds or losing his trousers. Didi Olney is a stage veteran making her TBP debut here. Her Poppy is beautifully and sensitively interpreted as was her performance as Connie in Come Blow Your Horn with New Direction Community Theatre. Amy Prieto appears in her second TBP production having played the tipsy Chris Gorman in Rumors. Her performance is admirable for her warm vocal quality and unruffled demeanor as she runs up and down the stairs in her high heels wearing a smart blue suit without it becoming wrinkled. She never has a single strand of hair out of place.
Kevin McCoy’s bio states that he is not only making his TBP debut with the role of Tim, but that he has never performed in theatre before this production. That is hard to believe as he seems completely at home onstage. He brings quite a bit of nuance to this role and exhibits a definite flair for comedy. It is hoped that he will become a regular with TBP in future productions. Veteran TBP actor Jeff Larsen has participated in many productions—notably in The Sunshine Boys and as the vampire-esque guest in The Mousetrap. His every entrance steals the scene and stops the show—enviable accomplishments.
And as the egotistical lover boy director, veteran actor Keith Mervine is perfectly cast. He will be remembered by local audiences for his performances as Lenny in Rumors, as Alan in Come Blow Your Horn with New Direction Community Theater and as a member of the cast of A Flea in Her Ear with Newtowne Players at the Three Notch Theatre. He succeeds once again in Noises Off with his over-the-top performance as Lloyd.
The play is rated PG-13. I heard Lloyd shriek the “f” word at least twice, and some of the characters wander around the stage missing parts of their clothing.
Stage manager/assistant director Merle Blair is a veteran TBP actress and now adds this backstage experience to her credits. Assistant stage manager Rachel Cruz makes her TBP debut, having attended the University of Maryland at College Park on a Creative and Performing Arts Scholarship for Stage Management.
Congratulations to Merle and Rachel for pulling off this challenging madcap production.
Members of the stage crew include associate producers Donna and Brianna Bennett, scenic designer Wendy Cranford, musical designer Todd Hall, makeup artist Skip Smith, sound and lighting designers Sid Curl and Vivian Petersen, lighting technician Travis Lehnen and Donald McGuinn, light board operator Rachel Clites Cruz, sound board operator Travis Lehnen, assistant carpenters Justyn Christofel, Jenny Liese, and Kevin McCoy, lead painter Jeff Cranford and assistant painters Rachel Clites Cruz, Amy Prieto and Donna Bennett.
Promotions and advertising hats are worn by Merle Blair and Vivian Petersen, house managers are Sherry Lehnen and Vivian Petersen, graphic designer is Donald McGuinn, program designers are Vivian Petersen and Donald McGuinn, and advertising credits go to Merle Blair.
The next TBP production will be “Sherlock Holmes and The Most Amazing Case,” by TBP Youth Troupe playwriting grad Matthew Konerth which will run June 18, 19, 25 and 26 at 8 p.m. and June 21 and 28 at 3 p.m. Auditions will be held for actors ages 13 to 18 Sunday, April 26 and Monday, April 27 from 7 to 9 p.m.
The 10th Annual Kids Playwriting Festival (six plays written and performed by kids) is scheduled for weekends July 31 through Aug. 9; Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. Auditions will be held May 31 from 5 to 7 p.m., and June 1 and 2 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Twin Beach Players is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization, predominantly performing in North Beach and Chesapeake Beach. Tickets for Noises Off are priced at $15 general admission and at $12 for members, seniors, and students. For more information you may contact 410-286-1891 or www.twinbeachplayers.com.
