Cast walk thewalk, talk the talk
They always say you should under-sell.
Under-sell a film, a piece of theatre, novels or music, so that the audience or listener can be pleasantly surprised when it comes their turn to witness it.
But that is impossible to do with Hamilton Playbox’s Noises Off.
There was nothing to not commend - you know what I mean?
Opening night at Riverlea Theatre was bulging with people ready for a couple of hours of merriment and laughter, and it was dished up to them like sardines on a silver platter.
First impressions are important, and I was told Act One acted as the introduction, but I couldn’t have mustered a hello.
As soon as the show began it was high-octane, adrenalinepumping mayhem.
Noises Off tells the story of a touring theatre troupe’s production of Nothing On in three stages: dress rehearsal, the opening performance, and a performance towards the end of a debilitating run.
From the onset I could feel the agony exuding from Steven Gray’s character, director Lloyd. Urging his cast to leave the receiver or take the newspaper was amplified by Gray’s wonderful voice projection and tension.
The hilarious and unerring Nick Wilkinson’s Garry can only be defined as comedy gold, while female leads Kelly Petersen, Natalie Swart and Julia Watkins provided laughs that would last the whole night.
On top of that, each cast member deserves a medal in longdistance acting, as Act Two was about as challenging and tiresome as a half marathon.
They maintained their stamina and poise and the end result was an unforgettable win.
I’d not be surprised if the audience was also losing their breath due to laughter.
Combine this with faultless direction by Lawrie Johnson, an awe-inspiring set by Fozzy Atkinson and crew, and props by Joy Shewan, Noises Off was hands-down a successful perform- ance. The cast walked the walk and talked the talk - I am eager to see them in action in the future. But first, I could happily rewatch the piece in its entirety again, and again, and again.
-Kelley Tantau You can catch Michael Frayn’s Noises Off at Riverlea Theatre, 83 Riverlea Rd, until October 7. Tickets available at www.iticket.co.nz