REVIEW IS IN! Footlighters Theater production of "NOISES OFF" is a HIT !

“Footlighters Theater in Berwyn is currently presenting NOISES OFF, the wittingly funny three-act comedy of a “play within a play” that has its characters in utter chaos as they forget lines, miss cues, deal with trysts among the cast (plus other secrets!) and completely unravel both on and off the stage!

​

The audience only ever gets to see (or just hear) the first act of a fictional farce called “Nothing On.” Act One opens with the cast in the middle of the show’s final dress rehearsal where everything goes wrong. The cast is hopelessly stumbling through and Opening Night is only a few hours away. In Act Two we go behind the scenes to follow the uproariously funny pantomimic antics happening backstage (perfectly timed) while “Nothing On” continues “out front.” It all comes to a hilarious climax in Act Three as the cast is running rampant and pandemonium ensues during one of the final performances of “Nothing On.”

​

Timing for this show is everything and extremely crucial to pull off the classic farce door-slamming exits with immaculately timed entrances, but the Footlighters cast made it look easy. It was very evident that they have worked very hard at getting the timing just right and were working even harder during the performance to make sure the audience was entertained. Kudos to the entire cast! Each and every character gave a wonderfully funny performance. Rich Geller, Dan Gudema, Lisa Gazillo, Barb Hannevig, Randall King, Emily Sturz, Joe Tranchitella, Michele Loor Nicolay and Ben Kendall – you have a show to be proud of.

​

Also impressive is how Set Designer and show Director Kirk Paul was able to get the two-plus story revolving set required for this show inside the less-than-massive Footlighters Theater. Since this type of set would not fit on the Footlighters stage, Mr. Paul (along with Lead Carpenter Bruce Field) designed and built a revolving platform and reversible walls to sit on the theater floor and put the audience on the stage - a very clever solution to a set design nightmare that gave audience members the feeling of sitting in the mezzanine section of a Broadway theatre as an added bonus to the show experience! For those of you who may be a little afraid of heights, don’t worry – there is an orchestra seat section as well. Director Kirk Paul and Producer Sue Scott did an amazing job with this show – kudos to the two of you as well!

​

NOISES OFF is presented in three acts with a brief intermission between each act for the stage crew to manoeuvre the fantastic revolving set. The show continues next weekend on June 16, 17 and 18 at 8:00 PM with two additional matinee performances on June 18 and 19 at 2:00 PM.

Take some time to get to Footlighters for this delightful show…you won’t be disappointed!”

​

NOISES OFF

by Michael Frayn

Directed by Kirk Paul

Produced by Sue Scott

Footlighters Theater

58 Main Avenue

Berwyn, PA 19312

(610) 926-9245

http://www.footlighterstheater.com

​

Showtimes:

8 PM June 10, 11, 16, 17, 18

2 PM June 11, 12, 18, 19

Tickets just $16.00 per person

(Discount for Dads: June 19 dads pay youth ticket price when accompanied by their child. Note: Show is PG13 for language & adult content)

REVIEWER: Lauren Franz has been involved in Community Theater for over 20 years and 45 shows. In addition to performing, Lauren has produced and directed shows for the Methacton Community Theater (MCT), worked stage crew, sound, props, set, publicity, play reading and served many years on the MCT Board of Directors.