By Jason and Alisha Hagey
Detonating onto the Parker Theatre stage in South Salt Lake City, Michael Frayn’s (Playwright) Noises Off is an uproarious comedy and a disordered ode to live theatre. A sharp observer of human frailty and backstage catastrophes, Frayn pulls us into the unraveling of an ailing theatre troupe performing a play-within-a-play. Well, not so much play-within-a-play but farce-within-a-farce. What begins as a rough dress rehearsal slowly descends into total pandemonium: sardines go missing, doors won’t stay shut, and personal dramas leak into every scene. Each act revisits the same material from a different angle, escalating the confusion and hilarity until the final performance collapses into a mess so wild it somehow feels like a triumph. Both a tribute to and a parody of theatrical life, Noises Off revels in the glorious disaster of live performance, where everything that can go wrong usually does – and that’s precisely the point.
Orchestrating this messy, side-splitting nightmare with flair and infallible vision, Jennifer Hohl (Director) choreographs mayhem with zealous aplomb. Hohl has a deft understanding of rhythm and timing, which she weaponizes to significant effect. What ensues on the stage is less a theatrical production and more a well-crafted dance of motley characters who have no business doing anything on stage. Hohl harnesses the raw talent of her actors into something titilatingly transcendent and absolutely, no-holds-barred entertaining. There is perhaps too little slapstick in today’s theatrical experience, but Hohl makes a great case (especially the out-of-control second act of mostly pantomime) for getting more of it onstage. Her direction makes knockabout comedy seem relentlessly frenetic while being expertly, gloriously, and gleefully natural.
Noises Off’s talented ensemble slowly ratchets up the ridiculous with exceptional skill. Together, they go in and out of character with beautiful fluidness – accents, mannerisms, and vocal parlance – requiring an adept understanding of personality and nuance. The depth of trust in the gags is vital, and this cast has it explicitly for one another.
Our introduction to the actors begins with Mary Parker Williams (Dotty Otley/Mrs. Clackett). Her character is aptly named Dotty, and Williams plays someone a bit odd and prone to forgetfulness as if it were second nature. That’s not to say Williams is dotty, but she does so with bumbling dignity and believability. Otherwise, Williams sharply matches wits with her fellow cast members, providing a counterbalance to the frantic with measured moments of snarky attitude and human vulnerability.
Roger Dunbar (Garry Lejeune/Roger Tramplemain) provides a stand-out performance. Between Garry’s inability to complete a thought and the sheer prowess necessary to play him, Dunbar plays double-duty as vocal and physical bumbler. Dunbar performs with intrepid daring and inspired commitment to every moment, whether fumbling with thoughts or falling down flights of stairs.
At Dunbar’s arm, and the perfect foil for his character, is Corinne Adair Myers (Brooke Ashton/Vicki). Amongst the lunacy, Myers provides an absurd anchoring to the production. Being out-of-touch and completely oblivious, Myers’ Brooke isn’t precisely the stereotypical ditzy blonde. She’s more of a vinyl record set on repeat. Once she’s programmed with the proper lines and blocking, she faithfully runs through them, only skipping when something bumps her just right – then she gets back on track. Myers does this all with incredible proficiency.
Thomas Hohl (Frederick Fellowes/Philip Brent/Sheikh) plays a man teetering between civility and collapse like a man holding a martini glass in an earthquake. His nervous system unravels in real time as his character finds himself stuck in a spiral of jealousy and pratfalls he never meant to be a part of; half Don Quixote, half windmill. Hohl does this all with nimble dexterity, which makes it look easy.
With an open heart and raised eyebrow, Mackenzie Pedersen (Belinda Blair/Flavia Brent) breathes life into their character with a delightful blend of sweetness and knowing exasperation. Pedersen brings out the comedy in composure cracking with unusual ability, creating a character who is both sympathetic and amusingly out of her depth.
Both puppet master and hostage to his production, Michael Hohl (Lloyd Dallas) is the director of the play-within-the-play. Hohl gives us a director on the edge with his raging, fuming, and relentless sarcasm. His is the voice of a man who once believed in art but now just wants the door to slam on cue, sardines to be in the right place at the right time. Hohl does his part with boisterous, bombastic glee.
Duane Stephens (Selsdon Mowbray/Burglar) rambles through the haze known as Selsdon with a veteran’s comic timing. He approaches his task as if it were a flask full of mischief. Stephens is flawless in being a man who is lost to his cue lines but never lost to the bottle. Stephens’s understated delivery makes every stumble feel intentional and every pause a course in comic delay.
Shouldering the manic burden of stage manager (both in the play and for the real production), Seth Larson (Tim Allgood/Company and Stage Manager) is the embodiment of every tech guy who’s heard “just fix it.” Larson captures the unsung labor of holding a production together from behind the curtain with tight timing and naturalistic frayed nerves.
After a series of events leading from trembling optimism to wide-eyed terror, Nicole Holbrook’s (Poppy Norton-Taylor/Assistant Stage Manager) assistant stage manager finally relents to the absurd by the end. She starts by believing everything will somehow work out, but her journey is a slow-motion train wreck that we can’t look away from. Holbrook’s step-by-step descent into the abyss that is “backstage” is beautiful and downright hysterical, as her character becomes hysterical.
James B. Parker’s (Set & Lighting Design) work is instrumental in bringing the production’s world to life. His thoughtful integration of space, texture, and light creates an immersive atmosphere. Parker’s designs seamlessly support the narrative’s changes in tone and place without missing a beat. His lighting design is subtle and expressive, shifting effortlessly with the narrative’s changes in tone and location, guiding the audience through time and space without ever pulling focus.
Rebecca L. Fenton‘s (Costume Design) tribute to the 1960s is a riot of color and pattern. The moment the curtain opens, her creations pull you into a whirlwind of mod patterns, vivid color blocking, and finely fitted silhouettes that encapsulate the era’s brazen optimism. Every stitch is a co-author to the story, amplifying mood, era, and personality.
Spencer Hohl (Sound Design) heightens the absurdity at precisely the right times, pushing completely into the comedic tone without ever overpowering it. One memorable moment occurs during the second act’s surprise fall, which hits with a wonderfully timed thud, causing the audience to gasp, shortly followed by laughing. It’s a great use of sound to direct emotional turmoil, intensifying the mayhem while maintaining the humorous rhythm.In this production of Noises Off, the razor-sharp script, unrelenting pace, and beautifully executed physical humor deliver an uninterrupted stream of laughter. The cast’s precision and intensity, paired with cleverly built sets and meticulous directing, create hilarious effects with every door bang and missed cue. It’s a heartfelt tribute to the lunacy of theater itself – messy, unpredictable, and completely alluring.
Runtime is 2 hours and 25 minutes with 2 intermissions
Parker Theatre presents Noises Off by Michael Frayn
3605 South State Street, South Salt Lake, UT 84115
May 24-June 28, 2025 (Fridays at 7:30 and Saturdays at 3:30 & 7:30)
Tickets: Adults $31, Children $22
Contact: 801-532-6000, boxoffice@parkertheatre.org
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Age Recommendation: 8+
No babies or toddlers permitted
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