Pauline Adamek
Dear readers,
This week I covered the reprise of Michael Frayn’s rollicking British farce, Noises Off, being re-staged by the repertory company A Noise Within at their new Pasadena digs.
No site link available — you can just read it here!
*** NB – remaining performances are this weekend only ***
Happy reading!
Repertory company A Noise Within reprises their popular 2009 comedy production for the third time, this time in their new Pasadena digs, with good results; Michael Frayn’s riotous and beautifully constructed British farce plays as well as ever.
The fantastic two-storey set for Noises Off (designed by Adam Lillibridge) is less of a tight fit thanks to the roomier venue.
Over the course of three acts we, the audience, become privy to the backstage shenanigans of a touring theatre company’s nonsensical farce. As the play progresses from the dress rehearsal in Act One, to an opening night one month into the tour to another evening later in the run, we watch the entire production unravel thanks to disorganized and disorderly actors, complicated by various fraught dalliances and jealousies. There are plenty of well-executed pratfalls and hilarious costume mishaps.
Mikael Salazar is excellent as the incoherent actor Garry while Emily Kosloski is perfect as the busty, ditzy blonde Brooke. Everyone’s comic timing – essential for a successful farce – is on point.
Stick around in the auditorium for both act changes as the hardy stagehands nimbly reverse and re-position the large set within the ten-minute intervals.
Review by Pauline Adamek
Noises Off: Fri., Jan. 6, 8 p.m.; Sat., Jan. 7, 2 & 8 p.m.; Sun., Jan. 8, 2 p.m.; Fri., Jan. 13, 8 p.m.; Sat., Jan. 14, 8 p.m.; Sun., Jan. 15, 2 & 7 p.m., $42-$46.
A Noise Within, 3352 E Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, 626-356-3100, www.anoisewithin.org.
Terry Morgan
