Noises Off!

[Cue Etta James] At last, WDG has finally opened their first show at the new Art House! Noises Off was actually originally slated to be staged as the new facility's curtain raiser in May this year (and indeed, rehearsals commenced in March) but due to a delay in the building's completion, the production had to be pushed back six months. While this may have been inconvenient, it certainly didn't hurt to have the audience's anticipation heightened from a publicity perspective.

While it's billing as 'the world's funniest play' might be a tad arrogant, there's no doubting that this is an absolute cracker of a play. Act One depicts the hilariously inept final dress rehearsal of the play “Nothing On”. Anyone who has had anything to do with the theatre – especially community theatre – could not help but nod their head throughout and the arch observations made by Frayn. However, it's one thing to parody the sycophantic, romantic, egocentric, ditzy, insecure and generally fraught world of small theatre companies – it's quite another to write a narrative that doubles back on itself, as the second act reveals the slapstick shenanigans that ensue back stage during the live performance.

To say it requires focus from the actors is an understatement, as they have to repeat large passages of dialogue while inserting critically-timed mayhem in between entrances and exits. The exuberantly talented ensemble cast had an absolute field day. Drama Group veterans, (WDG President) Howard Oxley, Laszlo Weidlich, Marc Calwell, Ruth Jordon and Duncan Mitchell all shone brilliantly alongside the equally charismatic Steve McDonald and Sierra Phillips...while the relative newcomers Alexandra Travers and Madeline Parker proceeded to steal every scene in which they appeared.

How happy Pam Campbell must have been to have this level of talent at her disposal while she tackled all the technical challenges the script demanded. All the pratfalls, sound FX and tricky prop choreography were slick and seamless. Oh – and the rotating set was a star in itself. As openers go, it's hard to imagine a slicker production or more fitting script. It was so worth the wait!

Rose Cooper

Photographer: Andy Kabanoff