Disaster is striking the theater again… from the 14th -16th and the 21st -23rd, the actors and actresses of College of the Sequoias Theater program are performing Noises Off! Written by Michael Frayn, Noises Off is the story of a dysfunctional theater troupe with no time left to practice, and no room to reconcile all their petty conflicts. This November, audiences get to witness the stress and petty drama that goes on behind the stages in this three-act farce. On the initial showing, curious guests eagerly poured into the seats. They left clutching their heads as they tried to wrap their heads around what they saw– and clutching their stomachs as they tried to stop laughing.  

Admittedly, the play starts off slowly. However, the silence of Noises Off is a deliberate choice to punctuate the style of humor you will see. In the first act, the audience becomes acquainted with the main cast of characters as they all struggle to remember their lines and positions on the stage. From offstage, we hear the director struggle not to yank out all of his hair. As everyone argues and bickers, the lack of any music or ambient noise makes each moment feel tense and awkward– which seems to be the point. 

The first act is shown through the perspective of the director as he watches the stage. As time goes on, the audience gets familiar with the plot of the play within the play, including stage directions and lines. As the actors struggle with their rehearsals, one could imagine how chaotic things will go when tensions are high… Acts two and three offer completely unique perspectives as the cast bumbles and argues backstage, and as they fumble and flounder on the stage.  

Although the setup of the first act is tedious, the payoff of slapstick and hilarious drama are well worth the payoff of the second act in particular. In addition to their unique voices and mannerisms, the costume and makeup design really helped each member of the cast stand out and pop, on or off the stage.

On top of this, the set design is a marvel for audiences to watch. The scene of a fancy, rustic getaway is well decorated and staged, and the behind-the-scenes perspective of the second shows how clever the set designers and choreographers are. Most importantly, the physical humor is top notch, turning the serious and dramatic story into a whimsical silent comedy in the second act. Whatever you do, keep an eye on the sardines! 

Huge congratulations to the cast and crew for making us laugh out loud with this utter disaster piece. If you want to keep up to date with events like these, make sure to check your email for future events.

Tickets are available at, https://www.cos.edu/theatre, as well as inside the theater before showtimes.