By Eva Trieger
CORONADO, California — Noises Off, the British play-within-a-play, was conceived by writer Michael Frayn in 1970, as he watched Vanessa Redgrave from the wings, perform in a show he authored. What he discovered was that the play was much funnier from off-stage and so he created this clever idea for his British farce. The Lamb’s Players Theatre production is especially delightful in that each cast member is spot on. The sets are brilliant, and as the play progresses, each act is funnier by half.
The Lamb’s theater is certainly a local landmark, and the perfect setting for this piece. The exterior of the building and the steeply graduated seats make one feel that it is a special occasion, something like a visit to the opera. Once inside the lobby, a warmly inviting café beckons theatergoers to come in for a latte, a scone, or a glass of sherry. Inside the theatre, there’s not a poor a seat to be found. The stage is easily viewed and accessed by actors.
The plot of the show, and I don’t think I’m giving anything away here—is the revelation of a traveling theatre troupe performing a show in three distinct stages. There is the dress rehearsal, replete with missed lines and flubbed cues. The second act showcases the opening night performance and all of the mayhem that attends it. Finally, the third act is the utter disintegration of the play as a result of colossal egos, clandestine trysts and pet peeves. And maybe the sardines.
Robert Smyth directed Deborah Gilmour Smythe (Dotty), Francis Gercke (Lloyd Dallas), Cynthia Gerber (Poppy), Ross Hellwig (Frederick Fellows), Jessica John (Belinda Blair), Brian Mackey (Garry Lejeune), Omri Schein (Timothy Allgood), Jim Chovik (Selsdon Mowbray), and Charlene Wilkinson (Brooke Ashton). Jordan Miller’s choreography is more complex than the capoeira, a Brazilian dance that resembles martial arts. The synergy and cooperation of this troupe is critical and evident in this don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-it show. The hilarity and hyperbole of each character enhances an already charming script, and the interactions, props and timing are simply not to be believed. By the play’s end, audience members have an elevated pulse because we are rooting for the actors to finish the play before murdering each other or completely decimating the set.
I cannot do the set justice without images, but I’ll try. In act one, the audience is treated to a traditional view of a stage. The actors enter and exit through slamming doors, and sometimes locked doors, or windows! Act two reveals backstage and the percolating tensions that occur behind the scenes. In the final act, the audience observes how the interpersonal relationships of the characters are the undoing of the play. Lines are changed, new and lethal props are introduced, and tempers flare out of control. This cast does this expertly and delivers a most thrilling, absurd performance.
San Diego’s theater community is so incredibly fortunate to have so much local talent, and Lamb’s Players Theatre has certainly culled some of our finest performers and director in this adorable romp. The play will be there until May 20th, so leg it and chivvy along. You don’t want to miss this brilliant show.
Tickets may be purchased at www.lambsplayers.org
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Trieger is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. She may be contacted via eva.trieger@sdjewishworld.com