Wednesday, October 16, 2024
This fall, the Granbury Theatre Company is bringing non-stop laughter to the Historic Granbury Opera House with Noises Off, the classic British farce by Michael Frayn. Opening October 25th and running through November 10th, this high-energy comedy is packed with mishaps, misunderstandings, and a whole lot of backstage chaos. Often hailed as "the funniest farce ever written," Noises Off is a riotous play-within-a-play that will leave audiences in stitches.
At the heart of the comedy is the fictional play Nothing On, where everything that could go wrong does. The plot follows the misadventures of a struggling theatre troupe as they prepare for their show’s opening night. Set in a typical English country house, Nothing On is a chaotic sex farce featuring mistaken identities, illicit affairs, and disappearing sardines. But behind the scenes, the real chaos is brewing.
As the Noises Off audience watches, the performers of Nothing On fumble through rehearsals, miss cues, forget lines, and continually bungle their way through the show, making for an uproarious mix of onstage and backstage comedy. As the show progresses, personal relationships between the cast members begin to unravel, adding even more layers to the madness. Director Lloyd Dallas (played by Javon Tcheco) is doing everything he can to keep the production on track, but the actors' antics—including misplaced props, door slamming, and escalating rivalries—push the play further and further into comedic disarray.
The structure of Noises Off is brilliant in its construction. The first act presents a chaotic dress rehearsal of Nothing On, where it becomes clear that the production is teetering on the edge of disaster. Act Two offers a behind-the-scenes view of the show during its tour, with the actors’ off-stage conflicts mirroring the on-stage pandemonium. In the final act, the audience sees Nothing On in performance—but by this point, the cast’s personal dramas have fully unraveled, and the play disintegrates into complete, sidesplitting chaos.
The brilliance of Noises Off lies in its precise timing and intricate physical comedy, making it one of the most challenging farces to stage. The Granbury Theatre Company, however, is more than up to the task, thanks to the guidance of director Austin Bender, who emphasizes the importance of the farce’s chaotic rhythm. "What I love about this play is that it really captures what makes live theatre so special. Mistakes can and will happen!" Bender explains. "As a performer, messing up on stage—whether it’s not bringing a plot-driving prop on when you were supposed to, skipping an entire monologue dripping with exposition, or just missing an entire entrance—there is always a collective panic backstage."
Bender, making his directorial debut with Granbury Theatre Company, has embraced the frenetic pace of Noises Off and its unpredictable nature. "As this is my first time directing with the Granbury Theatre Company, I really wanted to stay true to what makes this show so special: THE COMEDY!" he says, adding, "They say '90 percent of directing is casting,' and with this extraordinary cast, I have to agree! These actors are all experts in their craft, and I couldn’t be happier with their work during rehearsals. Not to mention, they are all wonderful human beings!"
The History of Noises Off
Since its debut in 1982, Noises Off has been celebrated as a masterpiece of farce. The play’s origins trace back to 1970 when Michael Frayn was watching a performance of his earlier work, The Two of Us, from backstage. The playwright quickly realized that the behind-the-scenes action of a production was often funnier and more chaotic than what was happening onstage. Inspired by this observation, Frayn began developing Noises Off, a meta-comedy that provides audiences with both the onstage performance of a play and the frantic backstage antics that accompany it.
Noises Off premiered at the Lyric Theatre in London, where it quickly became a smash hit, running for over five years. Its success crossed the Atlantic, with a Broadway debut in 1983 that cemented its status as a comedy classic. The play has since been revived multiple times, including a Tony Award-nominated production in 2016.
Audiences continue to be delighted by its precise physical comedy, razor-sharp wit, and the sheer joy of watching something go hilariously wrong. The concept of a play-within-a-play adds an extra layer of entertainment, making Noises Off one of the most beloved farces in modern theatre history. For actors and directors alike, it’s a challenging production to mount, requiring split-second timing, impeccable physicality, and a strong ensemble cast.
Granbury Theatre Company’s production of Noises Off brings together some of the area’s finest comedic talent. The all-star cast includes Emily Potter as the forgetful Dotty Otley (who doubles as the housekeeper Mrs. Clackett), Javon Tcheco as the increasingly frustrated director Lloyd Dallas, and Rodney Hudson as Garry Lejeune, whose off-stage jealousies create even more trouble. The rest of the talented ensemble features Tiffany Wynne, Cayley Bender-Davis, Jonah Hardt, Bentleigh Nesbit, Ryan Wagoner, and Freddy Martinez Jr., with Hannah Horton and Ben Rongey standing by as understudies.
Behind the scenes, a top-notch artistic team is bringing this ambitious production to life. Colton Lively serves as Assistant Director, while Jonah Hardt, who also plays Frederick Fellowes in the cast, designed the set. Reagan Deming leads scenic artistry, with Eme Looney designing costumes and Whitney Shearon and Kyle Hoffman adding their lighting and sound magic. In a show where precision is critical, Joe Chapa’s fight and intimacy choreography ensures that the physical comedy hits all the right marks.
With Noises Off guaranteed to deliver big laughs and memorable moments, it’s a must-see for theatre lovers and anyone in need of a good time. Don’t miss your chance to experience the fun—tickets are available online at www.granburytheatrecompany.org or by calling the Granbury Opera House box office at 817-579-0952. Get your tickets soon, and prepare for an evening of hilarious mayhem!
