What could be funnier than a comedy about putting on a comedy? Audiences and critics have been praising Michael Frayn’s hilarious British farce, “Noises Off,” based on that premise, since it was first produced in 1982 in London. The 1983 Broadway production was nominated for a Best Play Tony Award.
Theater D is producing that laugh-a-minute show April 5-14 at Caruso Auditorium in Deerfield. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays.
Staging this show is “an incredible challenge,” said director Debra Goldman. “I don’t know how you do ‘Noises Off’ without a choreography background because it is such a physical show. There’s one physical bit that leads into another that leads into another. They’re falling down stairs. They’re slipping on sardines.” Fortunately, veteran director Goldman has choreographed many shows.
And her cast is ready for the challenge, Goldman said. “I’m blessed with incredible actors,” she said. “I have no doubt this is going to be an amazing show.”
The director noted that playwright Frayn was inspired to write this farce after going to see one of his plays and deciding to sit backstage during the performance. “He found himself more interested in the backstage antics than he did what was onstage,” Goldman said. Frayn decided to share that experience — exaggerated, of course — in “Noises Off.”
Perry Georgopoulos plays actor Frederick “Freddie” Fellowes and Philip Brent, the character in the play within the play, “Nothing On.”
“Freddie is a good guy,” Georgopoulos said. “He’s a seasoned professional actor but he’s a little more dim with things social and everyday. He doesn’t always get it.”
Freddie adds to the craziness “by trying to be helpful but not quite getting there.”
Philip is a playwright who lives in a country house but spends most of his time in Spain. “He’s a creative type,” the actor said. “Somewhat of a country gentleman, enjoying life.”
The biggest challenge of his two roles, Georgopoulos said, is “having something distinctive about the two characters to differentiate them.”
The actor said he is particularly enjoying the “collaborative spirit” that director Goldman created during the rehearsals. He said, “When you take from each other and give to each other and learn together, you get a really cohesive production.”
Sammi Gassel plays actor Belinda Blair. “She’s a gossip but not in a mean way,” Gassel said. “She just wants to know everything and wants the best for everyone. She just wants everyone to be happy.”
Gassel’s character in “Nothing On” is Flavia Brent, Philip Brent’s wife. “She is flirty and confident,” Gassel said. “She doesn’t want to be left out of anything.”
The challenge of playing two characters in this play is “going between them so quickly and making sure that you keep in mind the different motivations for each character,” Gassel said.
The actor said that this production will be distinctive because “our director has added a lot of really fun physical bits that aren’t written in the script.”
That falls in line with the director’s goal to keep everyone laughing. Goldberg quoted Robert Frost who said, “If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane.”
Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
‘Noises Off’
When: April 5-14
Where: Caruso Auditorium, 1801 Montgomery Road, Deerfield
Tickets: $25
Information: 847-945-0650; theaterd.com
