ASU Theatre Presents: “Noises Off”

By Kierstin Medina |

On Friday April 26th, 2019 the Adams State Theatre Department premiered their production “Noises Off,” directed by Dr. John H. Taylor and written by Michael Frayn. Inside the SLV Federal Bank Main Stage theatre was a full house on premiere night. Dr. John H. Taylor’s director’s note stated that “the play was based off a third-rate company of British actors performing a fourth-rate bedroom farce.” The play presented an inceptive situation in which British actors were performing another play within the play. The Adams State Theatre Department’s student-ensembles included Jen Perez, Kaleb Gideon Burris, Anakay Hanold, Travis Romero, Andrea Alfano, Brandon Billings, Hannah Eubanks, Gwen Garger, along with Assistant Professor David M. Gerke.

The three-act play was set in the year 1985. In the first act, the scene began with the setting in a theatre, where the actors were running through a final dress rehearsal for their premiered play, called “Nothing On.” This play was then performed in front of a live audience later that evening, which concluded Act One. Act Two began with a behind-the-scenes perspective of the plays actors behind the stage where they were about to begin performing. Conflict then emerged between the actors and chaos began, which led the main director (played by Kaleb Burris) to leave his seat in the audience and attempt to mediate the crazy situation among the actors. Act Three began with one of the actors letting the crowd know how many minutes were left before start time. As they were announcing it, several more actors repeatedly stated the same announcement one by one, creating an overwhelming scene. The chaos then escalated as the actors became upset with one another. Some actors even forgot their lines for the “Nothing On” play, but as the play went on, they seemed to just go with it, making it their own kind of “Nothing On.”

Overall, the ASU Theatre’s production of “Noises Off,” performed at the SLV Federal Banks Main Theater, produced a positive reaction to its comedy. It aimed to directly entertain the audience with a highly exaggerated and extravagant unexpectancy of the play. Dr. John H. Taylor and his students did a fantastic job performing this play and had the crowd very entertained.