Review: 'Noises Off' at The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts

Pictured: The cast of 'Noises Off' at The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts Photo by Stephen Cihanek

Brookfield, CT - The hysterical farce ‘Noises Off’ closes the 60th anniversary season at The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts’ and runs through November 19. ‘Noises Off’ is a play within a play written by Michael Frayn; it was directed by Scott R. Brill and the producers was Lou Okell. I was delighted to see a sign on the door that the Saturday evening performance which I attended during their second weekend was completely sold old.

The title is a theatrical terms that refers to sounds made offstage meant to be heard by the audience. The story in this British theater involves an ambitious director and his troupe of mediocre actors that are trying to put together a silly sex comedy called ‘Nothing On.’ The embedded show is a single set farce in which the lovers frolic, multiple doors slam, outer clothes get tossed away and lots of hi-jinks follow. The three acts of the comedy show the audience a dress rehearsal, the cast and crew backstage at a matinee performance, and finally the craziness on stage during a ruined performance of the production at the end of its run. A large chunk of the second act is done silently backstage.

Adding much to the production was the set of the living room of an English country home that came apart in chunks in order to revolve to reveal the backstage area of the stage. Andrew Okell gets the credit for designing this massive undertaking and the running crew of Caitlin Griffing, Andrew Olson and Eli Patton (who also appeared in the production as Tim Allgood) did all of the turning during the two intermissions.

The cast of strongly drawn characters were played by a relatively small group of actors that obviously worked very hard to keep up with the nonstop action. I marveled at how they managed to remember their lines, their numerous cues, and a myriad of props, all the while moving at breakneck speed. They did get a break during the two intermissions but they probably would have appreciated twice that.

Priscilla Squires, in her debut at TBTA, was in her comedic element in the leading role of actress Dotty Otley; in the silly farce ‘Nothing On’ she played the housekeeper of the summer home aptly named Mrs. Clackett. Ron Malyszka played an older actor named Selsdon Mowbray (‘Frost/Nixon’) who often drinks and plays a burglar in the play. Kate Valiska played the girl on the go assistant stage manager Poppy Norton-Taylor.

Mr. Patton (‘Damn Yankees’ at TBTA) had fun onstage as Tim Allgood, the overworked stage manager who also understudies the male leads. Anya Caravella (Mae in ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ at TBTA) played the part of Brooke, a young inexperienced actress from London who, when she isn’t losing her contact lenses, pays no attention to anyone and simply plows on through her lines. In real life, Ms. Caravella is a music director for The Ridgefield Theater Barn Kids’ program. Duane Lanham nailed the physical comedy in his role as the actor Garry LeJeune.

Community theatre veteran Jody Bayer played the cheerful and reliable actress Belinda Blair who plays Flavia Brent. Tony Bosco-Schmidt (‘Bent’ at TBTA) played Frederick Fellowes, an actor lacking in confidence and smarts, but not nosebleeds. Matt Austin, whose credits are too numerous to list in his bio, was superb as the director of ‘Nothing On;” whether attempting to get through the final dress rehearsal or clear up the messes in his personal life, this actor gave a masterful comedic performance.

Adelle Deakin designed the costumes that worked while either on or off. Lighting and sound worked well.

The official announcement of TBTA’s 2018 season will be made at their annual Paddy Awards Gala held on Saturday, Nov. 28 beginning at 6:30pm at the theater.

The audience at the sold out performance enjoyed the production as much as I did; we never stopped laughing. Don’t miss that there are two programs in the book handed to you upon checking in at the box office, one for the TBTA production and a cheeky one for the embedded play ‘Nothing On.’ Be forewarned that there is are two intermissions.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues and she posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theater Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417