When we booked the tickets for Noises Off! I'd not heard of it. As it turns out, it is a well known and much loved play and if you believe the tributes and write ups, then it is one of the funniest things you will ever see at the theatre.
So last night I arrived at The Rep not knowing very much. I knew it was a farce within a farce and I also knew it starred Brigit Forsyth (best known as Thelma from Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads). Someone sitting next to me asked if I'd seen the play before and seemed surprised when I said no. He had seen it on a few occasions and told me that after the first time, he had to see it again "as there is so much going on you miss things first time around"
In the first part of the show, you are front of house watching the final rehearsal of a play before it's opening night. The second half takes you backstage part way through the tour. Things amongst the cast are not going well and you watch as they try to perform the play amidst the chaos behind the scenes.
The show started and although there are plenty of laughs by the time the interval arrived I felt that I had been slightly short changed. Yes, it was funny but not as funny as I was lead to believe.
Having sat down after the break for more of the same it wasn't long before the audience were laughing again but as one laugh died away the next was upon you. My neighbour was right, there is so much going on that your eyes are darting from one side of the stage to the next to take it all in. It really is laugh a minute.
By the end of the show (which seemed to come around all too quickly) you are left with a broad smile on your face as you leave. Although I'm not sure if it lived up to it's promise of being one of the funniest nights you’ll spend at the theatre, it is most definitely a good night out.
Every member of the cast were fantastic and gave a faultless performance and the set really did put you backstage. A great production! Something I probably will be seeing again.
One last thing, I left the theatre knowing I'd seen the actor who played Selsdon on TV but could not place where. I got home and checked. Selsdon was played by Ian Lindsay who also played George in Men Behaving Badly.
