Noises Off Response- Laura Glucksman
Noises Off is a farce about the onstage and offstage events of a play called Nothing On. This “play within the play” is supposed to be a comedy, but has second-rate actors and many theatrical mishaps. The actors’ personal issues backstage augment the zaniness of the production. In the end, both Noises Off and Nothing On succeed in their comedic purpose
Noises Off starts with a scene showing how nervous Lloyd, the director of Nothing On, is before a performance in New York City. The audience includes many important people. The audience is heard laughing, and it is clear that everything is going to turn out well. However, Lloyd’s anxiety makes the viewer wonder what happened to cause his concern. It foreshadows the difficult process the director and cast will endure.
Noises Off then looks back to a dress rehearsal of Nothing On during which everything seems to go wrong. The characters forget their lines and their blocking. The show is not close to being ready though this is the final rehearsal before the show opens. The characters’ actions are the primary reasons the play is considered a farce on and off the stage. For example, the actor Dotty Otley, who plays Mrs. Clackett, cannot remember the order she is supposed to use for picking up the sardines, hanging up the telephone, and taking the newspaper away. This not only happens in the dress rehearsal, but also in the next scene of Noises Off, which is a performance. Also, during the performance, the telephone is taken offstage, but the wire is left hanging through the door.
As the tour proceeds, some actors have had romantic attachments with each other, and the repercussions from some of these are taken onstage. Dotty Otley ties Garry Lejeune’s shoelaces together, and he falls down the stairs during a performance. The interaction of offstage and onstage events adds to the comedic effect of the play. Some scenes are effective because they are so absurd. An example of one of these very silly scenes is when flowers that are meant for Brooke are given to Poppy instead.
Each character has a unique costume that help the audience better understand the character. For example, Mrs. Clackett wears a maid’s uniform so it appears that she is always doing household chores. The other females wear costumes that are meant to please their male associates.
Noises Off is set in a variety of theaters. The specific theater does not really matter. No matter where they are performing there is “drama.” The title of Nothing On refers to the sexual nature of the “play within the play,” and is meant to add to the comedy.
Noises Off is a successful farce about the production of Nothing On, a comedy that is in rehearsal and then in production on tour. The actors’ antics offstage and onstage combine to make the comedy very effective. By including the audience in the actors’ backstage drama, Noises Off utilizes a creative way to make the show more entertaining.