Michael Frayn's comedy play within a play, a masterclass in physical comedy, at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre.
Noises Off comes to the Joseph Rowntree Theatre in York on Tuesday 6 October, with a second performance on Saturday 10 October. It's Michael Frayn's classic comedy, and it's a play-within-a-play that's built around the kind of physical comedy that works best when you're actually in the room with it.
The premise is a farce in the truest sense: a troupe of actors is putting on a play, and as the performance progresses, the whole thing starts to come apart. The onstage bedlam runs alongside equally chaotic antics backstage, and the two eventually collide. It's a masterclass in physical comedy, with the humour coming as much from the timing and the movement as from the lines themselves.
Between the scenes, you get a look at the people behind the curtain — the secret romances, the romantic rivalries, and a cast of unravelling misfits who can barely keep it together. The comedy works because it's built on that tension: the more they try to hold the show together, the more it slips through their fingers. It's a play that knows exactly how to play with the gap between what the audience is supposed to see and what's actually happening behind the scenes.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in York and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
If you're in York around early October, you've got two dates to choose from: Tuesday 6 October and Saturday 10 October, both at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre. It's a famously funny one, and since it's a farce, it's the kind of thing that's always better seen live than read about.
