Noises Off – Theatre Royal Haymarket

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary production of Michael Frayn’s Noises Off garners peals of laughter for nearly 2.5 hours straight! An exceptional piece of comedy, performed by a stellar cast with supreme comic timing, directed by Lindsay Posner with profound detail, this rendition successfully churns out maximum hilarity from Frayn’s brilliant writing. 

The play opens with Dotty (Felicity Kendal) who plays Mrs. Clackett, a housemaid for Nothing On. We are in a bright house owned by Mr and Mrs Brent (Jonathan Coy and Tamzin Outhwaite) who are seemingly holidaying in Spain. Director Llyod’s (Alexander Hanson) rising frustration is probably at its lowest at this dress run at midnight as Dotty keeps messing up the “sardines”. Garry (Mathew Horne) and Brooke (Sasha Frost) enter thereafter, looking to make good use of this empty house, followed by the owners evading tax issues and, finally a burglar (James Fleet). Madness and chaos ensue as they step in and out of the rehearsal, dealing with personal issues, and professional hiccups in a farcical manner, all of it ticking against their opening performance in a few hours with patient stage managers/ understudies (Oscar Batterham and Peter Lunkuse) striving to keep it together. The set flips after the interval to show us the backstage shenanigans at their matinee show, only to flip again for their closing night. 

The conglomeration of Frayn’s structure of a play within a play, Posner’s skilful staging, and Ruth Cooper-Brown’s apt movement direction reach its pinnacle in Act 2, right after the interval, not giving the audience a moment’s breath to recover from endless laughter. One would have to rewatch the act to fully capture the tiny details of comic action spiralling simultaneously, upstage, and downstage! Though performed thrice, the same act brings a different experience capturing all the elements of a brilliant farce. What a well-rounded comedy! Hanson’s delivery is superb capturing the director’s many shades and moods. Kendal’s Dotty is adorable and bright. Outhwaite’s Belinda is a perfectly supportive team player, perhaps the most stable of all. Coy and Horne display impeccable physical comedy. Fleet is a hilarious burglar with his poker face and elaborate physicality highlighting the absurdity of his character. Batterham plays an apt stage manager, exhausted, and frustrated, yet succumbing to the director’s orders, trying to keep the group together! 

Simon Higlett’s set is perfect and accurate supporting the comedy spatially while being true to the period. So is Paul Pyant’s light design. Gregory Clarke’s minimum sound design beautifully supports the highly energetic action on stage. 

A little irrelevant at times, nevertheless an absolutely delightful experience with plenty of laughter that makes you forget all your worries! Running till December 16th at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.

Reviewer: Khushboo Shah

Reviewed: 5^th October 2023

North West End UK Rating: