Theater review: No shortage of laughs at Novato Theater Company’s ‘Noises Off’

Bags, boxes, bottles, plates of sardines, a troublesome telephone, a fireman’s ax and an addled burglar all work their way into Novato Theater Company’s uproarious “Noises Off” at the company’s Nave Drive theater through July 14.

In Michael Frayn’s classic door-slamming farce, everything that might go wrong does go wrong for an itinerant acting troupe rehearsing a banal British play called “Nothing On,” about a tax dodge and a tryst or two in a country house run by a ditzy maid. In Novato Theater Company’s version, the troupe is a group of American performers ill-prepared for the impending opening of a tour they plan to take nationwide. The stress is clearly wearing down director Lloyd (Mike Pavone), who can’t get them to remember their lines, cues, entrances or exits.

And that’s simply the chaos we see from the front of the stage. Thanks to an ingenious rotating set by Michael Walraven, we also get a prolonged peek behind it, where there’s a raging storm of petty jealousies, bickering, boozing and all-purpose ineptitude.

Heather Shepardson kicks off the hilarity as Dotty, in the play-within-a-play, the housekeeper Mrs. Clackett, also called variously Mrs. Clacker, Mrs. Crocket, Mrs. Brocket and other approximations by her confused castmates. She can’t remember where to put a plate of sardines, when to carry it off stage and whether or not to answer the phone, leave it where it sits or take it away. It’s all too much for the already exasperated Lloyd, who shouts direction from the wings. Dotty drops her British accent in the exchange, as do all the other characters, randomly and to the point where they also forget who’s who and what’s what as the wild rehearsal goes on.

Enter Brooke and Gary (Melody Payne and Diego Hardy, respectively) as a randy pair hoping to use the home as a temporary love nest. Brooke plays Vicki, a woman who misplaces her contact lenses almost as often as her dress. Gary has no trouble remembering his lines, but when out of character has difficulty expressing himself. His statements often end with “you know” or simple ambivalent gestures. Both Payne and Hardy execute some very believable Olympic-caliber pratfalls.

Philip and Flavia (Jeffrey Biddle and Jane Harrington, respectively) are the next lovers to appear — Philip as the owner of the country estate, trying his best to avoid tax proceedings against him. Both of them manage to chew as much scenery as possible as pre-performance panic escalates. In and out the doors they go, and round and round the set. Fans of Benny Hill and Monty Python will find much to their liking with “Noises Off.” It’s a sustained howl of absurdity.

Rounding out the cast are veteran actor Wood Lockhart as the hearing-impaired Selsdon, playing the alcoholic burglar; Sky Collins as stagehand and troupe understudy Tim; and Rachel Ka’iulani-Kennealy as stage manager Poppy.

One of the hallmarks of a professionally executed production is that the performers not active in a scene but visible onstage remain in character and react to what’s going on. Keep your eye on Poppy as the shenanigans progress — even though she’s almost in the wings, she’s still very much in each scene. Her reactions are priceless. Ditto for Collins, who’s living proof of the old adage that there are no small parts. Lockhart is a joy to watch as the boozy Selsdon, entering the wrong window, or the right window at the wrong time.

Other than a great script, timing is everything in comedy. Director Carl Jordan and his superb cast absolutely nail it with this one, assisted by an ace creative team, including Bruce Vieira (sound effects), Frank Sarubbi (lighting design) and Kate Leland and Mary Weinberg (costumes). In an ever-more-contentious season, this perfectly executed comedic gem couldn’t be better or more welcomed. It’s brilliant across the board, from brilliant casting to brilliant performance.

Apart from a lingering case of sore ribs from laughing so hard — you’ll get over it — Novato Theater Company’s “Noises Off” is the cure for what ails us. Get your tickets now! You’ll be glad you did.

Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact him at barry.m.willis@gmail.com

If you go

What: “Noises Off”

Where: Novato Theater Company, 5420 Nave Drive, suite C, Novato

When: Through July 14; 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays; 7:30 p.m. July 11

Admission: $20 to $30

Information: 415-883-4498; NovatoTheaterCompany.org

Rating (out of five stars): ★★★★★