by Michael Frayn
Talisman Theatre Company, May 2007
Director: Gus MacDonald
My second time around at this play, one of the funniest ever written.
Last time (at the Loft in
1991) I played the put-upon stage manager, Tim; this time I’m
the harassed director, Lloyd. In another 20 years or so I shall
probably be playing Selsdon, the befuddled, drink-sodden elderly
actor.
In this shot, I’m trying to inspire my cast to great things at
the dress rehearsal of Nothing On, the play within the
play. Trying to stay awake are Kenny Robinson (Garry), Jo Foskett
(Brooke) and (on the sofa) Mary MacDonald (Dotty), James Harris
(Freddie) and Julia Donoghue (Belinda).
Starting to lose it with Jo.
Many people thought that Noises Off could never be
produced at the Talisman, owing to the unique requirements of
the set. John Ellam proved them wrong with a remarkable feat of
design and construction: nine entrances and exits and a gallery level,
all incorporated into a full-width set that in Act Two
revolves through 180 degrees to show the action from behind.
Cast and director lose the will to live as the dress rehearsal
continues past 1am. Mark Docker (Tim) is behind the sofa; Jeremy
Heynes (Selsdon) is sitting on the stairs.
Proving that they always come in threes: me, Jeremy and Mark in Act
Three, with Kenny sat on the stairs unable to believe his eyes.
Because there was only a few centimetres’ clearance between the
top of the revolving set and the lighting bars, the set could not be
lit from above as is normal. Mark Rowbotham matched the ingenuity of
John’s set design with a lighting plot that allowed the action
to be lit almost entirely from the front.