In April, the Rural Arts Project is presenting its second production of Noises Off, a Michael Frayn farce about a play within a play. The first production at the Grove Hall featured actors from Montreal. In this new edition, all the talent is local.
But do not let that deter you from seeing the play: the group have become experts at finding real talent for their plays. This is not their first attempt at presenting a play with local actors. In the past, the Rural Arts Project has presented many plays, some of them musicals, to impressed spectators who no longer speculate about the quality of the show. The last show produced by the Rural Arts Project was Anne of Green Gables, which toured the region during the Summer of 2018 to great acclaim.
The Play
Noises Off is undoubtedly one of the most difficult plays to put on. This vaudeville is physical, and is quite challenging. It also Is well choreographed so that the timing of the gags is perfect. Over its three acts, it depicts the first act of the fictitious play Nothing on. The first act illustrated the dress rehearsal while the second act shows us all the discord between the actors behind the stage after a month of being on stage together. The relationships between the actors start to unravel, and chaos emerges. Finally, act three show us the staging of Nothing On at the end of a ten-week run. Relationships have soured even more, and the play is in total bedlam, ensuring many laughs from the audience.
Showing
This edition of Noises Off premiered on April 5, and is presented at the Grove Hall in Huntingdon every week end until April 21. The Friday show starts at 8 p.m., Saturday show starts at 7 p.m. and includes dinner, and Sunday features a matinee starting at 2 p.m. The cost of the tickets is $20 for the regular shows and $45 for the dinner theatre. Visit grovehall.ca or email info@grovehall.ca for more information or to make reservations. There are still tickets available for this week end’s shows.
