The story goes that playwright Michael Frayn was inspired to write Noises Off in 1970 while standing in the wings during a performance of one of his farces, Chinamen.
The result, 12 years later, was Noises Off, one of his most popular farces, which has now been seen by more than a million theatregoers.
Now the farce within a farce returns, after a successful Olivier Award-nominated 2000 revival, in this Theatre Royal Brighton Production.
The show is opening at the Theatre Royal before touring nationwide.
Noises Off tells the story of a professional theatre company, whose touring version of a sex comedy called Nothing On descends into a farce backstage as the actors' personal relationships start to deteriorate.
"When it comes to choreography, it is probably the most complicated play I have ever done," says director David Gilmore. "The physical side of the play is almost like a musical. It is literally organised chaos."
With a CV that includes the West End physical comedies Lend Me A Tenor and the original production of Daisy Pulls It Off at London's Globe Theatre, David is no stranger to the world of farce.
"The mechanics of what goes on backstage is faithfully observed," he admits. "The particular chaos going on in this play you would hope would never happen. It is all down to the disintegrating relationships between the performers."
With an experienced cast including former Doctor Who Colin Baker, Jonathan Coy from the stage version of Nicholas Nickleby, Ben Hull of Hollyoaks fame and Maggie Stead from the international tour of The History Boys, there is little chance of petty backstage niggles taking over.
The farce is divided into three distinct perspectives of the same scene, performed at three different times – at dress rehearsal, early on in the tour and towards the end, using a specially designed stage set.
"The set is two-fold," says Setch, the assistant technical manager at the Theatre Royal. "You have the side the audience would see, which is the interior of a house. At the interval the set splits in half and rotates to reveal what the actors and technicians would normally see behind the scenes. In the third act it goes back to the house interior set."
"You see the same action at three different times, each time slightly different from before," says David. "One of the challenges for the actors in rehearsal is to make sure they know which version of the scene they are doing."
This production takes its lead from Jeremy Sams's version performed at the National Theatre.
"Noises Off is a masterpiece of its time," says Theatre Royal chief executive Julien Boast.
"It's Michael Frayn's reinvention of the farce genre.
"That is what Theatre Royal Brighton Productions is all about – presenting classic pieces of drama audiences want to see."
Noises Off follows in the footsteps of previous Theatre Royal Brighton Productions Holy Terror, starring Simon Callow; Sweeney Todd, featuring Jason Donovan in the lead role; and The Rocky Horror Show.
The show will be heading out on a national tour after its Brighton performances before going to the West End.
- Look out for our review in The Guide Daily on Saturday, September 13. Starts 7.45pm, 2.30pm matinees Thurs and Sat. Tickets from £16. Call 08700 606650.
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