It takes skill and precision for a show to go exactly right. One can argue that it takes practically double that effort to perform a show that demands everything go wrong. Great Lakes Theater’s production of “Noises Off,” a farce in which almost everything goes awry, is a testament to the skill and precision it takes to make things go wrong in just the right way.
“Noises Off,” a play-within-a-play, follows a dysfunctional theater troupe as they rehearse and perform a show called “Nothing On.” Act One follows a technical rehearsal in which the cast struggles with their lines, motivations and stage directions, proving that they are woefully unprepared for their opening night less than a day away. Act Two takes place backstage a month later during a performance of “Nothing On” where tensions between the actors are high, cues are missed and mischief is afoot. In Act Three, we see the same show performed at the end of the production’s tour, and by this time, absolutely everything has unraveled.
Written by Michael Frayn, “Noises Off” made its West End premiere in 1982 and has undergone multiple revivals, earning some Tony nominations along the way. While the show is a popular choice for theater companies, it remains a fun, entertaining romp no matter how many times you see it staged.
Great Lakes Theater’s production is no exception; the popular farce, under Christopher Liam Moore’s comprehensive and precise direction, is as fantastically absurd, foolish and comical as it gets.
“Noises Off” features a cast of characters that each add their own bit of crazy to the show, whether through physical snafus, wardrobe malfunctions, bumbled lines or personality clashes. Great Lakes Theater’s cast understands the assignment and delivers. The skilled cast deftly navigates the portrayal of characters that are portraying another character. This requires multiple accents (dialect coach Matt Koenig), inflections and mannerisms, which they all nail.
Look at any actor when they are not the focus of the scene’s attention, and you will see bits of their character’s personality shining through. This is especially true for Kinza Surani, who plays Brooke Ashton, a ditzy, young actress who will often stare into space or twiddle her hair during moments of downtime.
Equally expressive are Nick Steen as the innocent, dim-witted but well-intended Frederick Fellowes, David Anthony Smith as the boozehound Selsdon Mowbray and Laura Welsh as the positive and sensible Belinda Blair.
Jennifer Joplin adopts a brash and comedic accent in her portrayal of Dotty Otley, the top-billed star of “Nothing On” who becomes steadily bewildered and disheveled throughout the run. Dotty’s boyfriend, the accident-prone and jealous Garry Lejeune, is portrayed by Jeffrey C. Hawkins, who delivers exceptional–and highly impressive–physical gaffes.
Other notable physicality is delivered by the cast when they are backstage during Act Two and must mime everything so as not to interrupt the ongoing show. This portion of the production is especially chaotic and busy; so much so that you would have to attend multiple times to catch every bit that occurs. Patrick John Kiernan can be commended for his intuitive sound design during this portion of the show when actors who are performing “Nothing On” come across properly dampened so that the audience may focus on backstage antics.
Portraying the somewhat more sane characters attempting to keep their train of a production on its tracks are the talented Topher Embrey as the stern and boisterous director Lloyd Dallas, Domonique Champion as the overworked stagehand Tim Allgood and Zoë Lewis-McLean as the exasperated stage manager Poppy Norton-Taylor.
The antics of “Noises Off” take place on Jeff Herrmann’s set design of a dated, two-story home that includes eight doors for plentiful confusion. During intermission, the set rotates to show the audience a backstage view with unpainted two-by-fours and labeled entrances, then rotates back again for Act Three. Jason Lynch properly adjusts the lighting to depict a bright rehearsal, dim backstage and ambiently lit final production while costume designer Oona Natesan clothes the cast in a wardrobe that allows for quick changes and a handful of dropped pants.
When we attend the theater, we see the accumulation of weeks upon weeks of rehearsals and collaboration between cast and creatives. By opening night, the production is a finely tuned machine with all parts–wardrobe and wigs, props, sound cues, entrances and exits, lighting, set pieces–functioning just how they were intended. It takes immense effort to get everything running properly–and in a show where everything is designed to go wrong, Great Lakes Theater gets it just right.
“Noises Off” runs through May 18 at the Hanna Theatre, 2067 E 14th St, Cleveland. Visit greatlakestheater.org or call (216) 241-6000 for tickets, $15-$99.
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This article appears in Apr 10-23, 2025.