The Fourth Walsh

Steppenwolf Theatre presents NOISES OFF.

Playwright Michael Frayn penned a madcap farce about theatre. A group of London actors work to put on a show. It gets intense on and offstage as their personal lives interfere with their job. It’s not just about forgetting lines. The players are threatening to walk out, to get drunk and to kill each other. In his play about a play, Frayn breaks the action into three distinct acts: a dress rehearsal, an initial performance and a final performance. The unique twist is the second act is done from a backstage perspective. Between acts, Designer Todd Rosenthal’s bilevel set will pivot to reveal the inner-workings just behind the scenery. The unique and intimate glimpse into how-the-(theatrical)-sausage-gets-made leaves the audience both dazzled and curious about the real life shenanigans going on in Steppenwolf’s wings.          

Director Anna D. Shapiro masterfully drives this lampoon from witty to wacky to wildly absurd. Act One starts out slow with a delightful Ora Jones (Dotty) messing up her lines, her cues and her sardines. And because it’s a British play, the exchanges between her and the acerbic-tongued Rick Holmes (Lloyd/Director) are peppered with ‘love’ and ‘precious’ as Holmes redirects her again and again. When Gary (played by Understudy David Lind) enters the scene, he adds to the amusement with nonsensical questions and unwavering support of Jones’ mishaps. The rehearsal breaks as the cast and crew gather onstage. Although Holmes is trying to focus them on the pending premiere, the stage whispering is all about the secrets going on behind the scenes.   

Wit turns to wacky with the second act. Because the action is happening backstage during an actual production, a lot of the act is pantomimed and the buffoonery is through the rafters! The entire ensemble amazes with slapstick humor and razor-sharp comedic timing. Lind and Audrey Francis (Belinda) are particularly impressive with the demanding physicality. A fierce Lind continually ‘performs’ onstage and then races backstage to attack Jones’ suitors. A poised Francis works to keep the production flowing by running up and down stairs, on and off stage … all in her green high heels.

Then, wacky turns to wildly absurd as this play within a play hysterically implodes on stage during the third act. Jones rips the phone cord. Lind falls down the stairs. And at one point, Francis Guinan, Max Stewart, and Holmes mistakenly appear on stage as the same character and deliver lines in unison. Pretty damn funny especially for fans of the vaudeville genre.

NOISES OFF is a light-hearted romp delivered with zest! Although it might be off-putting for some diehard patrons, this show proves Steppenwolf doesn’t take itself too seriously. And they are ready to make fools of themselves -in a good way- for entertainment sake. In this political climate, NOISES OFF is a zany escape from our ludicrous reality!

Running Time: Two hours and forty-five minutes includes two intermissions

At Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted

Written by Michael Frayn

Directed by Anna D. Shapiro   

Performances are:

Tuesdays, Wednesdays,Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 7:30pm

Wednesdays at 2pm

Saturdays, Sundays at 3pm

Thru November 3

For more information or tickets

Photography by Michael Brosilow

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