“Crazy Mayhem of a Show” Coming to the Gladstone Theatre

"There is cream around here somewhere," says the attractive barista handing me a coffee in the lobby of the Gladstone Theatre.  All around the lobby media types sip from mugs.  Like me, they are here for a sneak preview of Noises Off, the Gladstone Theatre's 2009-2010 season opener.  Before long we are invited into the theatre proper, where we are greeted by a distinguished looking gentleman with a neatly trimmed grey goatee - clearly the play's director.

As the preview gets underway, I quickly come to realize that the barista in the lobby was actually the show's media coordinator, and the man who welcomed me into the theatre was John Koensgen, a 32 year acting vet who plays the director of the play-within-the-play.

My confusion seems appropriate, given that British playwright Michel Frayn's comedy classic Noises Off is a complex piece filled with confusion and misunderstandings.  It has a strong reputation as one of the funniest plays ever written, but also as an extremely difficult production to stage.  In fact, some suggest the play's second act is one of the most difficult to pull off in all of theatre.

Actor John Koensgen isn't intimidated by the challenges the play presents.  "Bring it on," he says.  "Doing straight kitchen sink drama or comedy is okay, but working on a piece like this, where you've got all sorts of different challenges, always keeps you lively and interested."

Orchestrating what he characterizes as, "madness... a crazy mayhem of a show!" is director John P. Kelly.  Kelly is coming off of a marathon season at the Gladstone in which he directed five plays. "No sane director directs five plays in one season," says Kelly, "but then, I'm doing Noises Off, so I can't be a sane director."

The first act of Noises Off takes place during the dress rehearsal of Nothing On, a British sex farce that serves as the play-within-the-play.  For the second act, the entire stage is turned one hundred and eighty degrees to reveal the back stage antics during a matinee performance.  This proved a challenge for the Gladstone's production team, given that the theatre's size doesn't allow for a complete spin of the stage.

Up-and-coming architect-turned-designer Ivo Valentik, who recently won a 2009 Rideau Award for set design, solved the problem by designing an impressive moving set, with 15 foot walls and three staircases, which breaks up into five separate rotating pieces.  "I wouldn't be surprised if audiences stay during the intermission to watch the set turn," suggests Kelly.

"Just the centre revolve alone is 1500 pounds," notes stage manager Tina Goralski, who like Kelly, is largely responsible for trying to manage the play's controlled chaos.  "Tina is a genius," says the director.  "She has tracked every single prop in the show, so if we need to know where a prop is at any point in the play, she can tell us.  I've never worked on a play with as many properties as this one has!"

When I ask if there is any concern that the frantic movement up and down stairwells and in and out of doorways of the spectacular set will overwhelm the actor's performances, Kelly responds, "That question is based on an assumption that the performances, as in most other forms of theatre, are in the heart and the voice, but in this kind of theatre the movement is the performance."

"Does it terrify me? Yes, it terrifies me every day!"Koensgen, on the other hand, doesn't feel any additional pressure.  "I never saw the film, and I haven't seen the play.  I don't really want to see someone else's spin before I work on a character. I just try to tell the story as best I can, and bring something of myself to it."  I ask what he personally brings to this particular character and Koensgen responds, with a grin, "Bitterness... and a dry sense of irony."

As witnessed during the preview performance, the cast and crew still have several challenges to overcome if they are going to pull off this difficult play, but they seem up to the challenge.  "Being an actor is like being a craftsperson.  Just like a cabinet maker takes great pride in a piece of furniture that he or she made, I take great pride in being able to do things other people think are impossible," says Koengen.

Despite the behind the scenes complexity, the play is sure to please audiences.  "Noises off is a really complex play, but you don't need to be 'cultured' or some sort of genius to have a good time," explains Koengen.  "This is a just fabulous piece of entertainment... plus it's just great theatre."

Noises Off runs September 3 until Octorber 20, 2009.  Tickets are on sale now at the Gladstone box office; $35 Adults, $28 Seniors and $20 students; season subscription packages are also available. For more information or to reserve your seat, call 613.233.4523 (GLAD), email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , visit www.TheGladstone.ca or visit the theatre in person at 910 Gladstone Avenue, between 10:00am to 4:00pm, Monday to Friday.

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