Classic comedy Noises Off has Grand audience in stitches

Michael Frayn’s 1982 play has brought the house down in the West End, on Broadway and beyond for decades now but remains delightfully fresh as consummate theatre entertainment.

Brimming with slapstick comedy complete with dropped trousers, slamming doors, a scantily-clad young lady and even flying sardines, it’s a masterclass in comedy and no wonder actors clamour to be involved in such a feast of fun guaranteed to cheer even the most sullen audience member.

It’s basically a spoof of the traditional British farce comedies which were such a hit in the 60s and 70s, but were already fading from fashion by the time Frayn wrote Noises Off.

As such, it serves as a lasting homage to that art form, and all that can go wrong in a company performing one, a farce within a farce presented very cleverly as a play within a play.

From the shambolic final rehearsals before opening night in Weston-super-Mare to a disastrous show matinee in Ashton-under-Lyne, Noises Off is packed with visual and verbal gags and is all seen entirely, and hilariously silently in what is an especially side-splitting second act, from backstage before we share the company’s final, brilliantly catastrophic performance in Stockton-on-Tees.

Matthew Kelly, Liza Goddard and Simon Shepherd, all familiar faces from our TV screens over the years, all revel in Frayn’s wonderful material and Lindsay Posner’s excellent direction and are excellent in their roles in this touring production from Theatre Royal Bath Productions in association with Birmingham Rep.

Lisa Ambalavanar, Simon Coates, Lucy Robinson, Nikita Lesler and Daniel Rainford, the latter two as stage management in the fictional company, are in also great form throughout, but particularly impressive, especially in the closing stages of the show, is Dan Fredenburgh as the character Garry Lejeune.

His physical comedy is reminiscent of John Cleese at his frantic best in Fawlty Towers and the film Clockwise and is a real highlight of what is a rousing, uproarious climax to a riotous show.

The chaos of the fiction all adds up to a glorious piece of actual theatre, with that second act outstanding, and is highly recommended. You’re unlikely to ever look at a plate of sardines again without them bringing a smile of recall.

Noises Off continues at The Grand, Blackpool until Saturday, with matinees on Thursday and Saturday as well as nightly performances. For details and tickets, see www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk or call 01253 290190.