Every door slam is an invitation for laughter, you just have to wait for the imminent humorous quip (or sardine) to drop. Slam – a burglar breaks through the window. Slam – a man gets glued to tax forms and a plate of sardines. Slam – someone falls down the staircase and lands flat on the first level.
Geffen Playhouse’s production of “Noises Off,” co-produced with Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company, proves physical comedy has the power to stand the test of time. The 1982 farce by Michael Frayn follows the development of play within the play. The theatre troupe attempts to get their act together but with each misplaced props and forgotten line, it becomes clear this cast of characters has miscommunication on and off stage. The show is separated into three acts. The first act takes place on stage during a dress rehearsal-turned-tech rehearsal. Half a month later, act two takes you backstage for a Wednesday matinee. Act three fast-forwards two months into the touring show for a performance at the Municipal Theatre where everything goes wrong. Anna D. Shapiro’s direction highlights the timelessness of humorous physicality by introducing small, modernized details with weighty impact — from a subtle shimmy to a clueless bounce. In this production, the magic is in between the lines.
Ora Jones in Noises Off at Geffen Playhouse. Directed by Anna D. Shapiro – Photo by Jeff Lorch.
The play begins with a faux introduction to the world: a housemaid named Mrs. Clackett (Ora Jones) answering a phone call. When director Lloyd Dallas (Rick Holmes) calls on Mrs. Clackett to pause from a seat in the Gil Cates Theater, the first few minutes gain a new perspective. The show isn’t on stage. It’s all around us. Clackett, played by the fictional character Dotty Otley, changes her entire demeanor. Her accent alters and her movements feel more pedestrian.
The performances continually highlight the distinction between characters with body language. In a hilarious directorial choice, the actors of “Nothing On” — the fictional play within “Noises Off” — are stiff and overcompensating their circumstances by being overtly performative to the audience. This results in squared hips, purposefully stale line deliveries and caricature-like alter egos. The movement direction creates a distinct line between each performer’s multiple characters, and it works thanks to Shapiro’s specificity.
L-R Max Stewart, Francis Guinan and Rick Holmes in Noises Off at Geffen Playhouse. Directed by Anna D. Shapiro – Photo by Jeff Lorch.
“Noises Off” is a feast of comedic nuggets. If you look away, you might miss a good laugh. Some of the best ones come from Selsdon Mowbray (Francis Guinan) who plays the burglar in “Nothing On.” His character is an alcoholic veteran actor who is hard of hearing and has a whimsical side to his personality. After a few failed attempts to break into the home on time, he finally charges in to deliver the burglar’s monologue that shares his desire for crime. It concludes with “I miss the violence,” which Guinan delivers dryly with a stiff fighting windup of his arms. Guinan capitalizes on his character’s ignorance to make each line pop. Other commendable moments include an exaggerated bounce of astonishment by Brooke Ashton (Amanda Fink) who plays Vicki and a backstage warm-up with a few Linklater voice technique exercises tossed between antics.
L-R Vaneh Assadourian, Amanda Fink, David Lind and Ora Jones in Noises Off at Geffen Playhouse. Directed by Anna D. Shapiro – Photo by Jeff Lorch.
Act two is a masterclass in physical comedy. Frayn presents the challenging container of keeping the antics quiet backstage while a performance takes place in front of an audience. This pushes performers to be more exuberant and exact with their physicality. In the silence, characters fight and pull stunts on their enemies while consoling others. The scenic design by Todd Rosenthal provides a playpen of possibilities for the actors with each prop and set quirk. In fact, the performers’ intentions are shown best with an object in their hands. When an axe is brought on stage, one character holds it and vengeance crosses their face, the next person handles it with care, the next person wields it with pure fury and the last person defuses the energy soaring through the object. There’s beauty in the few seconds each actor has with the object before moving forward with an action. It adds layers to their characters and physical personality, humanizing them in a way that transcends words.
Audrey Francis in Noises Off at Geffen Playhouse. Directed by Anna D. Shapiro – Photo by Jeff Lorch.
Audrey Francis, who plays Belinda Blair and Flavia Brent, is the best performer to synergize this physicality with the narrative. Francis easily slips between her “Noises Off” and “Nothing On” characters, switching from a signature pose with her arms up as Flavia to a benevolent friend with open arms as Belinda. As the play collapses on itself and all the things that could go wrong do, she teeters on the varying performances. When Frederick Fellowes (James Vincent Meredith) bolts off stage, Francis stares in astonishment. You can see her flip through decisions until she lands on the best one: she dances and shimmies her shoulders.
“Noises Off” is a play within a play within a dance. As the performers dash from door to door, clear and concise choreography is at play. But this is just the bare bones. The glamour of production is solidified with attention to physicality and the humorous farce one can build within the body.
“Noices Off” runs through March 9, 2025 at the Geffen Playhouse. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit their website.
Written by Steven Vargas for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: L-R Francis Guinan, Amanda Fink, Audrey Francis, Ora Jones and David Lind in Noises Off at Geffen Playhouse. Directed by Anna D. Shapiro – Photo by Jeff Lorch.
