Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at a theater? British playwright Michael Frayn offers theatergoers a tongue-in-cheek view of life in live theater in “Noises Off.” Doors, bags, boxes, sardines and laughs abound in the farce, now being staged at Hackmatack Playhouse in Berwick.

The production is a play-within-a-play that follows the inept fictional “cast” of “Nothing On” from the final dress rehearsal – just hours before curtain – to the end of the play’s 10-week run. The three acts of “Noises Off,” with two intermissions, allow the audience to see both the onstage and offstage antics of “Nothing On,” a bedroom farce, fueled by innuendo, mistaken identity, improbable coincidence and an amusing obsession with a plate of sardines.

Act one serves as an introduction to the madcap plot and quirky “cast” of “Nothing On.” Dotty Otley, played by real-life actress Heather Glenn Wixon, is struggling to remember her lines and which props her character (Mrs. Clackitt) needs to take on and off the stage. The vexed director, Lloyd Dallas (Christopher Savage) barks directions at her from his chair in front of the audience, while stagehands Poppy Norton-Taylor (Samantha Smith) and Tim Allgood (Adam MacDougall) try to satisfy his demands.

The ridiculous plot line unfolds amidst a side-splitting array of interruptions, introducing the audience to the rest of the “cast” – Garry Lejuene (Jeff Marcus), Brooke Ashton (Michelle Wilke), Frederick “Freddie” Fellowes (Michael Stailey), Belinda Blair (Danica Carlson) and Selsdon Mowbray (David Durham).

“Nothing On” alone brings plenty of laughs, but it’s the soap opera-like antics of the “cast” that kicks the laughs into high gear as love triangles form and misunderstandings abound. Adding to the comic chaos, Freddie, who faints at the sight of blood, suffers from spontaneous conflict-induced nosebleeds.

Act two turns the set 180 degrees to allow the audience to fully appreciate the laugh-out-loud drama unfolding backstage. Due to the need for off-stage silence, much of the outrageous antics are pantomimed, producing bellyaching laughter from the audience.

When the stage turns back around for the final act, the backstage drama has bled onto the onstage performance, causing pandemonium that is pure fun to watch.

“Noises Off” is a complex production that requires fast-paced delivery and spot-on timing to land all the jokes. It is also very physical, with many of the laughs coming from slapstick humor that requires the cast to dash around the two-story set, and sends actor Jeff Marcus sliding down the stage on his face on more than one occasion.

The cast and crew are also faced with the challenge of turning the set around, without the aid of a revolving stage. Set designer Jerard-James Craven has crafted a set that appears seamless, but can be disassembled and reassembled back to front. This is performed during intermission by the cast and crew, who remain in character the entire time.

Hackmatack Playhouse has clearly put a lot of time and effort into bringing “Noises Off” to its stage. The production is a fun-filled way to kick off the opening of the playhouse’s season, reminding, with a wink, that the show must go on, no matter what happens.

April Boyle is a freelance writer from Casco. Contact her at:

aprilhboyle@yahoo.com

Twitter: @ahboyle

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