The genius of a stunningly executed masterpiece is not to be underestimated. So it was with the production of Noises Off Saturday night at the James Meader Little Theatre on the Russell Sage College campus. Written by Michael Frayn, the farce has seen productions from Broadway, to a movie version, to performances by countless other theatres.
Noises Off depicts the troubled production of a made up play called Nothing On. Noises Off is play about a play, and everything that can and does go wrong in putting on a play, such as actors who don’t know which props to take off stage and which to leave on stage, doors that don’t work, soap opera relationships between the moody actors, and much, much more. Noises Off has three acts: the first takes place on the set of Nothing On during the rehearsal on the night before opening night, the second takes place backstage of the Nothing On set during a matinee performance a month into its run, and the third act takes place on the Nothing On set during one of its final performances.
Much of the humor in both Noises Off and Nothing On is physical, slapstick, and rapid-fire prop movement, requiring precise timing and exquisite control. The actors in this production were flawless. Special congratulations go to Craig Lampert, an RPI student and member of Alpha Psi Omega, who played Garry Lejeune, for his ability to fall down the Nothing On stairs without seriously injuring himself.
Other actors deserve congratulations as well. Russell Sage student Marygrace Bonestell brought impressive versatility to her role of Dotty Otley, the housekeeper in Nothing On. Michael Steese, an actor for more than 55 years, pulled off with frighteningly funny realism the part of the absent-minded, hard of hearing, and slightly alcoholic Selsdan Mowbray, the burglar in Nothing On.
The staging of Noises Off was simply extraordinary. Set designer Robert Dalton, as well as the technical crew, produced an incredibly detailed, high quality, and generally well-made set for this production. Also, the rotation of the stage—and thus the large, two story set—between acts was well organized, and facilitated by the design of the set.
Noises Off is a play that demands precision and a mastery of the comedic art. Both qualities were plainly in evidence in the James Meader Little Theatre Saturday night. The actors, and indeed the entire cast and crew, did a phenomenal job. Although the run of Noises Off at Russell Sage is done, don’t miss the ubiquitous comedic masterpiece if it comes to your area, and certainly do not miss whatever shows the talented people of this production put on next.
