'Noises Off' at Connecticut Theatre Company - My Review

‘Noises Off’ is a play within a play written by Michael Frayn that is being presented by the Connecticut Theatre Company at the Repertory Theatre in New Britain. The play is directed by the wonderful Chris Kulmann, who dubs this piece, as many have, the funniest show ever written. “Comedy is an art,” he writes. “It is created and developed by characters turned up to 110% and a solid story line. Now when you add slapstick, sex and a truckload of props, it gets taken to a whole new level of hilarity.” I know Mr. Kulmann to be one of the strongest improvisational actors around and his mark is all over this hysterical romp.

The story involves an ambitious director (played to the hilt by none other than Chuck Stango) 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 are tossed away and lots of hi-jinks follow. The three acts of the comedy show us a dress rehearsal, backstage at a matinee performance and finally on stage during a ruined performance of the doomed production at the end of it’s run. A large chunk of the second act is done silently backstage as the performance can be seen through a window in the set and anyone who has ever waited behind the scenes for an entrance will love it.

CLICK HERE TO READ MY ENTIRE REVIEW ON ONSTAGE.

‘Noises Off’ continues next weekend Friday, July 24th, 2015 at 7:00 PM, Saturday, July 25th, 2015 at 7:00 PM and Sunday, July 26th, 2015 – 2:00 PM. Tickets are available.