‘Noises Off’ to turn on laughs in W. Rutland

By STEPHANIE M. PETERS
STAFF WRITER – Published: October 8, 2009
In the theater world, the term “noises off” refers to sounds coming from offstage. It’s a fitting name then for the 1982 play by British playwright Michael Frayne, a hilarious farce more about how the backstage antics of a luckless troupe of actors affect their onstage performances in the awful British sex comedy called “Nothing On” in which they’re touring.

Over the next two weekends, the Marble Valley Players will bring the show – and certainly much laughter – to the stage of the West Rutland Town Hall Theater.

The production represents a departure from the types of shows the group is accustomed to putting on, as well as a challenge to its actors, according to publicity chairwoman Judy Wideawake.

With Tim Rice, who has starred in a past production of the show, at the directorial helm, however, the Marble Valley Players are in good hands heading into the show.

“I’ve always loved this play and I thought it would be really nice to have Rutland put it on,” Rice said Tuesday.

“The big differences about this show are that it’s very physically demanding on the actors and the set is very complicated,” he said. “It’s a two-story set, so we have a full staircase (the actors) have to run up and down and there are eight doors they have to go in and out of. There are sight gags, it’s fast paced … it’s not often you see community theater do a two-story set like this.”

Rice credits Ray Courcelle’s hard work in building the set, but notes that “a lot of people worked very hard behind the scenes to get this done.”

“Noises Off” will star Gary Thompson as director Lloyd Dallas and an acting troupe, including Mikki Lane as the dotty actress Dotty, who has trouble remembering her lines, Martin Bones as the elderly, alcoholic and nearly deaf Selsdon, Julie Redington as brunette bombshell Brooke, Mark Zelis as the inarticulate Gary, Leif Erickson as the overly nervous Frederick and Tammy Brown as the ever-game Belinda. Judi Tompkins and William Byrd round out the cast as innocent crew members drawn into the onstage comedy.

For those looking for a basis of comparison, Rice points to an early-’90s film adaptation’s casting of Carol Burnett in a lead role as an indication of the type of humor audiences can expect from the performances.

The show will open at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the West Rutland Town Hall Theater and continue with performances at the same time Saturday and Oct. 16 and 17. There will also be a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday. Tickets are $12 and general admission. They’re available at the door or can be purchased in advance at the West Rutland Town Office, the Paramount Theatre Box Office or online at paramountvt.org. For more information, call the box office at 775-0903.

stephanie.peters@rutlandherald.com