The True Backstage Chaos—Where Stagehands Are the Unsung Heroes
For me, British humor is dense and not that funny. I struggle to get the puns and punches. However, I have now found the first exception with the 1982 British farce Noises Off, by Michael Frayn, currently playing at The Old Globe. That, or I am just older. It might be a combo.
Directed by Gordon Greenberg, the plot involves a play within a play. The production “Nothing On” is in the technical rehearsal phase and will then embark on a three-venue tour. It is late, opening is in a few hours, and Lloyd (James Waterston), the play’s director, is running the tech rehearsal, relying heavily on Poppy (Abby Leigh), the stage manager, and Tim (Matthew Patrick Davis), the set carpenter and all-around stage hand. The cast is made up of seasoned actors, rookies, methodical, and superstitious ones. Dotty (Linda Mugleston) is not fully grasping the directions, and her castmates also have questions of their own. Garry (Nehal Joshi) is ready, but he cannot express the momentum on the stage, sharing scenes with Brooke (Michelle Veintimilla), who knows her lines but is too stiff and motionless. Frederick (Jefferson Mays) is struggling with personal issues, and Belinda (Bryonha Marie) is constantly stirring up the pot with the company’s gossip, while all members are looking out for Selsdon (Orville Mendoza) to be on time and not miss his cues due to his love of the bottle.
Playing at The Old Globe Theatre, Gordon Greenberg’s direction maintains the surprise and immersive factor, utilizing the entire space and having Waterson move up and down the aisles within the audience while giving his directions and discussing the scenes with the company. Since I was sitting in an aisle seat, seeing the actor up close/next to me, and making sure my husband’s feet wouldn’t trip him, added to the experience. I thoroughly enjoyed Lauren Lovett’s
voice and dialect coaching with various British accents, as well as the lingo, which made it richer. The production runs for over 2 hours with an intermission, but technically, it is three acts, as they “run” “Nothing On” from different angles. I believe that for people who work in theatre, this makes it much more special, as they hit all the marks: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Todd Rosenthal’s two-story set, featuring a rotating platform that reveals the back of the stage, is detailed and fun, complemented by Amanda Zieve’s lighting that seamlessly blended on-stage, off-stage, and house perspectives, as well as Connor Wang’s sound that projected across these three settings. Within the sound, I especially enjoyed the pre-curtain calls, as there is a gag in there that refers to the usual target audience (IFYKYK).
Izumi Inaba’s costumes are both fun and detailed, reflecting the unique personalities of each character within the play. From lovely dresses and suits to sexy, but practical lingerie. There are also details scattered throughout that enhance the scenes—simple things, like a sweaty shirt or a cable that’s too short.
Bravo to stunt coordinator Jacob Grigolia-Rosenbaum, as the physicality in the performance is brutal! Especially with Jefferson Mays, Michelle Veintimilla, and Nehal Joshi. I lost count of how many times they go up and down the stairs, and they go up not only with their legs. Linda Mugleston and Bryonha Marie also gave their knees a run, and it was hilarious. From start to finish, the cast shines. There is no weak link. Abby Leigh and her character, Poppy, give justice to the role of the stage manager as they are true stars in the productions. Without them, the show would not go on. Geoff Josselson did an excellent job with casting, and the understudies are also a gem.
Even though the performance would benefit from some condensing, it is evident that Michael Frayn, with Noises Off, wrote a love letter to theatre.
Currently playing until August 10.
The production stage manager is Anjee Nero.
