OU Theatre produces "Noises Off"

Sardines fly. Doors slam. Tempers flare. Lines are missed. Cues are blown. Injuries come about. Yet that is exactly what is supposed to happen. The latest production by Oglethorpe University Theatre, "Noises Off," embraces chaos and turns it into comedy.

"Noises Off" flyer | Photo via Oglethorpe Theatre Instagram

The play, a farce built around a play within a play, by Michael Frayn follows a traveling theatre troupe all around England performing a production called "Nothing On." What begins as a  relatively straightforward play slowly starts falling apart. The relationships of the actors become  more complicated and the toll of constant performances begins to show. Audience members first  see how the play is supposed to be in Act I during rehearsal which makes every unexpected  mistake land as an even better punchline.  

“You will never, ever, ever stop laughing,” Caitlyn Lumpkin said. “You are going to get a six  pack from laughing.” 

Lumpkin is a senior and plays the character of Belinda. She describes Belinda as a type A,  middle aged actress who is very sympathetic and understanding to her colleagues but most  importantly wants to get her job done.  

The preparations for the show were anything but easy. The actors started two months ago in mid February with a read through followed by two weeks of working with a British dialect coach  before even stepping into full staging. Overall, they have been rehearsing for about six weeks.  

Even with all that preparation, live theatre rarely goes exactly as planned. With a play like Noises  Off, unpredictability is the only constant.  

During opening weekend, the actor playing Frederick Fellowes fell ill, leaving senior James  Patrick to step in as understudy. Patrick is no stranger to theatre at Oglethorpe, as he  has done two shows each year. But, with little time to adjust, Patrick relied on the cast’s support  to carry him through the performance.  

“The cast has been so helpful and so inviting,” Patrick said. “This whole experience is just so  memorable.” 

Patrick described his character of Frederick as kind of a “bimbo,” and just happy to be there.  Frederick may ask some “stupid” questions, but he is just trying to be friends with everyone and  have a good time.  

The show is directed by Lee Knippenberg ’82, who returned after retiring last year following  three decades teaching at Oglethorpe.  

For Knippenberg, "Noises Off" is more than just another production, it holds a special place in her  heart. She first encountered the play while in Edinburgh visiting family with her husband and loved watching it so much, she later directed it for the first time at Oglethorpe in the spring of 1999. 

“It was one of those that I look back on and I am like that was one of the best shows I did the  whole time I was here,” Knippenberg said. “And so, when I was retiring, I said to Matt (Huff),  ‘You still owe me one show and I really want to do 'Noises Off.'’” 

Knippenberg grew up with a passion for acting and pretend. She transferred to Oglethorpe from  Young Harris after two years, already familiar with the campus because her father was an alum. As a child, she often visited Oglethorpe with him, attending basketball games and other fun  events. As a student at Oglethorpe, she did a lot of theatre, but there was no formal department at the  time. It simply was a club led by an English teacher.  

“I just thought that a liberal arts university should have a theatre department,” Knippenberg said. “So, after graduating I worked for four or five years in Atlanta doing theatre and then went to UGA to get my master’s to convince people that we needed a department. In the 90’s there was an opening, and I just started building the program, teaching classes, and doing plays.” 

Decades later, Knippenberg has shaped and grown the theatre department, building a program  that continues to challenge and entertain its audiences which was evident throughout opening  weekend.  

Audience members came in with curiosity about what the production would be and were  pleasantly surprised by the energy and humor throughout the production.  

“I am going to be honest, it was better than I thought it was going to be,” sophomore Chloe  Kennedy said. “I loved all of the costumes and the set, and I think everything worked really well  together.” 

Others commented on the dynamic staging of the production. “I thought that the spinning stage, that was really impressive,” sophomore Julia Mueller said. “It made the changing of the sets really cool and dynamic. And I just think that anyone who comes to watch it would really enjoy it.” 

Performances will continue to take place April 16, 17, and 18 at 8 p.m. at the Conant Performing Arts Center, with a matinee performance on April 19 at 2 p.m. Admittance is free for current Oglethorpe University  students, faculty, and staff with a Petrel pass.