Theater review: Noises Off!

by Rick A. Elina of North Dallas Gazette

An esteemed Roman philosopher once said, “There is no great genius without some touch of madness.” Lucius Seneca, circa 60 AD, had no idea at the time that his cogitative commentary would span the centuries from the glory days of Imperial Rome right into the very heart of the Plano, Texas theatre scene. Teatro delle Muse and Sibling Revelry’s presentation of Noises Off! by Michael Frayn (now playing at the Arts Centre Theatre in Plano) abounds with madness and is therefore nothing short of genius. What is it about insanity that makes us laugh? This brand of British craziness is not grounded in the clinical sort of psychosis that might be found in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Rather, Noises Off! is pandemic with a more commonplace strain of lunacy, the variety that presents itself anytime two or more (or in this case 14) people are thrown together with secrets and self interests to protect. This is a play within a play with actors playing actors. The characters they portray and the sub-textual story line are of little or no consequence. The audience is allowed to see the play unfold through a voyeuristic peephole. This veneer of reality provides a behind-the-scenes look at actors while in the process of acting. After all, isn’t acting just living out one’s insanity?

With a large cast, director Jamey Jamison masterfully choreographs Noises Off! with the precision of a Swiss watch. The movements of the characters are so well timed and seamless that the show’s many moments of slapstick never feel forced or contrived. Be prepared to laugh until you hurt, especially as Act III reaches the final crescendo of the play’s inevitable implosion. You won’t be laughing alone.

Almost all of the actors remain on the stage (or thereabouts) during the entirety of the play. Normally, in such a large cast you would expect to find one or two actors that emerge as standouts. That’s not the case here. The entire cast seems balanced, in terms of talent and comedic timing. As the story line progresses over several months, each cast member is convincing as an actor playing an actor that’s been touring with this show for a long time. Their chemistry is apparent.

This show is a must see!

Noises Off! runs through July 26, 2009. For tickets or more information, visit TeatrodelleMuse.us or NoisesOff.net.

Rick A. Elina is a playwright based in Plano, Texas and is the Theatre Critic for The North Dallas Gazette.