Noises Off by Michael Frayn

We are back with a new comedy play Noises Off by Michael Frayn. It was premièred in Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, London in 1982. It was very successful and it got transferred to Savoy Theatre, West End and was running until 1987. Moreover, it won Evening Standard Award, Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for the Best Comedy. 1992, Peter Bogdanowich decided to adapt it to the screen. However, it wasn`t that successful and the reviewers said it was the worst film ever seen because it was too much theatrical.

Picture from Noises Off performance

Picture from the performance of Noises Off

Noises Off is funny because it is a play within a play. It is a group of people that have been put in a play Nothing On which leads to disaster. Our group got to play Act One, the first part where audience gets to know the characters. There are 9 characters, each of them having their own principles and life twists. My playing character is Belinda Blair - Flavia Brent. Basically, Belinda Blair is a real person and Flavia Brent is a character played by Belinda. In a play, Flavia is married to Philip Brent, a character played by Frederick Fellowes. It is slightly confusing because there are 18 characters in total and only 9 actors. My playing character is a charming Belinda`s (Flavia) role. She is a good companion to everybody and can`t live without sarcasm. She`s got a cheerful and charismatic personality and is a reliable actress. She is secretly sympathising to Freddy, also her husband in a play Nothing On. It is important to note, that Belinda and other actors are Americans but playing English roles.

Belinda Blair 

First rehearsals went slightly confusing. It was more like reading the lines and watching other actors actions, then thinking of what you could apply and how you could use your body language to express the character`s thoughts. As always I used Stanislavski`s technique, actions and objectives, I wrote down next to each line my actions. This helps me to understand my characters thought process, and I believe this should be the first step in learning your lines. Rob`s feedback and notes that we have to be off book by the week starting 12th January. Also once the lines are learned we have to work on picking up the cues quickly, that`s what we are going to do the following week. In addition, I watched plenty of YouTube videos in order to get more information and understanding about Belinda`s character but it is not much written on the internet. I picked up some of her actions, movements, tried to pay attention to the way she walks, talks, flirts with Freddy and portrays herself. Those videos gave me the idea of Belinda and how other actresses represents her.


Nearly every play has some political views in it, so is the Noises off considered as a political theatre play. The power of political theatre usually tells the story of a system`s effects on people.

Maybe Michael Frayn wanted to show the real life of show business and how well played play is being born. He wants to show the people that theatre is not always gold and fame but it also takes a lot of misunderstands, confusions and effort to make it good. Also the playwriter impart typical people`s (our) life in his play. Especially, he emphasizes it with Lloyd`s line "That`s what it`s all about. Doors and sardines. Getting on - getting off. Getting the sardines on - getting the sardines off. That`s farce. That`s the theatre. That`s life." I would say the actual meaning of this line is about us, human`s being, that it`s all bout money and work. About how we get up every morning go to work, come back, and even though we are not happy, we don`t change anything.