About Noises Off
It’s a play within a play and a truly rowdy affair. Prepare to go beyond the curtain and follow a hilariously out-of-control company of actors who struggle to see their latest show through. With a generous helping of ego, passionate affairs and memory loss, Noises Off is a window into all of the theatrical drama beyond the stage. Antics unfold beautifully, the cast flounder and tensions rise backstage, only to seep out for all the audience to see in this fictional skit of Nothing On. From missed cues to flubbed lines, this slapstick comedy is a masterclass in farce, sharp timing and technical complexity. Covering rehearsals, the opening night, a catastrophic matinee and a final disaster of a performance, this timeless tale is innovation in its purest form.
The legacy of Noises Off
The idea for Noises Off came to Michael Frayn as he witnessed the behind-the-scenes drama of his production of the 1970 farce The Two of Us. After noticing that the content backstage was often funnier than out front, the idea for Noises Off was born.
The original production of Noises Off opened in London in 1982 and has since become a global classic. The show has been nominated for multiple Tony awards and has had various London revivals over the years, including productions at the Piccadilly Theatre, The National Theatre, and London’s Old Vic. There was also a film produced from Noises Off, with a cast including Carol Burnett, Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve, John Ritter and Nicollette Sheridan.
The cast and creatives of Noises Off
Noises Off is written by the maestro of farce comedy Michael Frayn. The creative team for this 40th Anniversary production includes Lindsay Posner (Director), Simon Higlett (Designer), Paul Pyant (Lighting Designer), Greg Clarke (Sound Designer), Will Stuart (Composer), Ruth Cooper-Brown (Movement and Fight Director), George Jibson (Associate Director), Ginny Schiller (Casting Director).
Noises Off stars Felicity Kendal (The Good Life, Relatively Speaking and Hay Fever) as Dotty Otley, Tracy-Ann Oberman (EastEnders, Friday Night Dinner and Edmond) as Belinda Blair and Matthew Kelly (The Dresser, Waiting For Godot, as well as hosting Stars In Their Eyes and You Bet!) as Selsdon Mowbray, Alexander Hanson as Lloyd Dallas, Joseph Millson as Garry Lejeune, Sasha Frost as Brooke Ashton, Pepter Lunkuse as Poppy Norton Taylor and Jonathan Coy as Fredrick Fellows.
Noises Off tickets are available now
Watch the drama unfold at breakneck speed in Michael Frayn’s slapstick comedy.