Writer Michael Frayn's hugely successful play was inspired by him watching another of his plays, the farce comedy Chinaman from backstage which made him realise how funny it would be write a play about what goes on from behind.
Since it's debut in 1982 which opened to rave reviews and won the Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy, the play within a play has been continually rewritten and updated to suit the times. In theatre the term "noises off" refers to the sounds that are meant to originate offstage. The plot portrays the goings on in an amateur touring production of sex comedy Nothing On as it tours around the country, following the explosive relationships that lead to off-stage shenanigans and on-stage bedlam.
Noises Off ran in the West End at the Savoy Theatre until 1987 and was most recently revived at the National Theatre in 2000 before transferring to the Piccadilly Theatre completing a 2 year run and it's second transfer to Broadway in 2001.
The revival of Noises Off will be directed by Lindsay Posner whose has just finished directing Dominic West in Butley at the Duchess Theatre and whose other recent productions include the Olivier-nominated 2010 production of An Ideal Husband at the Vaudeville theatre and Fool for Love at the Apollo.
Noises Off has yet to announce it cast and will come to the Old Vic following the theatre’s autumn run of The Playboy Of The Western World now on sale.
Book Noises Off tickets online now.
[posted by Louise, 10/09/2011]