OXFORD – Lloyd Fellowes, the play’s director, is struggling with cast and crew. They are fumbling lines, slamming doors, missing cues and props and there are all sorts of disastrous personal goings-on between the actors and stage hands! This may sound like a nightmare of a production, but not for the real directors, Richard Heim and Cathy Robinson, because they’re producing, “Noises Off,” the play within a play written by Michael Frayn. The NYS Veterans’ Home is currently being utilized for several rehearsals by the Chenango Community Players (CCP) who have chosen this ‘tour de farce’. “Noises Off” has been winning awards for best comedy on both sides of the Atlantic since it first debuted in 1982. The slapstick comedy, which shows both sides of the stage, will be performed at the Chenango County Council of the Arts’ Martin W. Kappel Theater, April 18 & 19, 7 p.m., in Norwich.
The Chenango Community Players are a non-profit, community-based volunteer theater group, committed to bringing high-quality performing arts to Chenango County. Located in Norwich, the CCP have been in existence for over 30 years. Recent productions include: “Annie,” directed by Gail Murphy; “Oliver,” directed by Mark Sands; and most recently, “Harvey”  directed by Fred Dankert. (Fred is responsible for the resurrection of the Players 10 years ago.) The cast of “Noises Off” is made up of several Oxford and Norwich residents.
The basic premise of the play is that an acting company is staging a silly sexy farce called “Nothing On.” You see only Act 1 of this play; however, you see it from in front of the stage as well as backstage beginning at dress rehearsal. As weeks pass, you get to see the play from two more perspectives. More and more gets revealed about the characters and their real life craziness is exposed. Heim and Robinson have masterfully choreographed the deliberate chaos in the fine tradition of the Marx Brothers or Monty Python.
Here’s the somewhat complicated line up. The play within the play, “Nothing On” is being directed by Lloyd Dallas played by Mike McCollough. The scene opens in an English estate with Martha Percy Meade as Dotty who’s portraying a cantankerous housekeeper named Mrs. Clackett. Jon Calhoun as Gary Lejeune and Lisette Shiffer as Brooke Ashton portray a Realtor named Roger and his beautiful “client” Vicki who aren’t actually meeting for “business.” (So far so good.) The estate’s owners, Philip & Flavia Brent, are portrayed by Allan Hopson-Sackett, as Freddy and Colleen Sackett-Hopson as Belinda, both of Oxford. They’re not supposed to come home, but do. Dotty’s long-time acting friend, Selsdon Molbray, is played by Dr. Mike Waters of Norwich. He plays the role of a burglar, but Selsdon has a drinking problem that becomes everyone’s problem. Doug Georgia plays Tim Allgood, the company and stage manager, and Laura Phillipson of Norwich, plays the role of Poppy Taylor the assistant stage manager. The two of them are trying to keep sardines, boxes, newspapers, telephones, flowers and other props in the right hands at the right times and keep Noises Off!
The term, “noises off,” is a British stage term for “quiet” or “no noise” backstage. In this case, the “noise” backstage turns this zany comedy inside out into a whirlwind of theatrical madness you will love!
For tickets or performance information, call the Council of the Arts at 336-2787 or visit the Council’s website at www.chenangoarts.org.