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Stars explained: * A production of no real merit
with failings in all areas. ** A production showing evidence of not
enough time or effort, or even talent, and which never breathes any real
life into the piece – or a show lumbered with a terrible script. *** A
good enjoyable show which might have some small flaws but has largely
achieved what it set out to do.**** An excellent show which shows a
great deal of work and stage craft with no noticeable or major
flaws.***** A four star show which has found that extra bit of magic
which lifts theatre to another plane. |
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 Noises off
Sutton Arts Theatre
**** NOISES OFF was written in 1982 by
artistic polymath Michael Frayn, a journalist, philosopher, and novelist
as well as playwright. It was inspired in 1970, when Frayn was watching a performance of his own The Two of Us, from the wings. "It was funnier from behind than in front, and I
thought that one day I must write a farce from behind." And so the seeds
were sown for this brilliant back-to-front farce about a dysfunctional
touring company on the last leg of its tour – or simply on its last
legs. Subject to periodic revision by Frayn, the last
in 2000, the script is fresh and sharp, exploring his trademark
fascination with the battle between the forces of order and disorder,
and our search for happiness in our lives. Metaphors dance tantalisingly
before our eyes. A tax evader, caught with his trousers round his ankles
watches his second home descend into anarchy, while all around seem
obsessed with sardines. Director Emily Armstrong has assembled a very
strong cast. Unusually for a farce it does not mainly comprise
conventional warring couples. It does however have seven doors, a
harbinger of things to come. There are doors that stick when they should
open, doors that swing open when they ought to be closed, doors viewed
from the back, and doors viewed from the front. Denise Phillips is a delight as housekeeper
Dotty, a surreal fusion of Hilda Ogden and Mrs Brown, who is preoccupied
with sardines as the world revolves around her. Her paramour Roger,
energetically played by Dexter Whitehead, suffers and explodes, as his
older girlfriend finds herself in increasingly preposterous positions,
leaving him hopping mad. Hardworking Emily also stars as Vicki, Roger’s
other love interest, the briefness of her costumes being in inverse
proportion to her stage impact. As well as the accident-prone cast, the
stage management team add to the confusion, putting out front-of-house
calls that the performance will commence in one minute, three minutes,
two minutes and finally three minutes again prompting the wonderful
lament: “there’s a lot of OAPs out there who haven’t got long to go.” There’s a satisfying depth to the cast,
epitomised by Barrie Atchison as Selsdon Mowbay , the old stager whose
secret hoards of whisky keep having to be removed from just about
everywhere as he continually breaks in through a window at varying
stages of the plot, planned, and unplanned. The pivotal second act is handled adroitly, with
skill, timing and energy, after the slower paced, scene setting, first
act. Inventive, funny and incessant, I, along with the rest of the
audience, roared with laughter. Rosemary Richmond and Ann Morris deserve
particular praise for some well observed costuming, not least with
Alison Daly’s sumptuous over the top print “Brit ex pat in Marbella”
dress, John Islip and his team take on the huge task of producing a
front of house and back of house set, and win. The only technical
downside is that the challenge of turning the entire set round for Act
Three without an interval is considerable. This production was dedicated to long serving
Sutton Arts member Davina Barnes, who played the part of Dotty in 1988,
and sadly passed away in February of this year. Emily Armstrong, the
cast, and the Society did her proud with this fine production which runs
till Saturday 12th September. Gary Longden
07-09-15 |
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