"Noises Off"

Through July 26

Blackfriars, 28 Lawn St

$15-$25

454-1260, blackfriars.org.

Full of sexual innuendo, slamming doors, and sardines, "Noises Off" at Blackfriars Theatre is a play about a play. And believe it or not, everything is supposed to go wrong.

The show opens with a peek into a dress rehearsal in the wee hours of the morning - the day of opening night. The actors - playing actors - are preparing their production of "Nothing On," a comedy where the married Blair couple returns from Europe to unexpectedly find a tax collector and his girlfriend using their house for personal pleasures. As the Blairs desperately try to avoid being caught in the country due to their tax-evasion scheme, housekeeper Mrs. Clackett refrains from telling her employers that they are not alone in the house. Her main concern is, well, sardines.

When not rehearsing, the characters reveal many personal relationships within their acting company, including a twist that director, Lloyd, is involved with two members of the troupe at once. The characters engage in more drama backstage than on the set of their production.

But don't worry; there's enough comedy to go around.

John Haldoupis' set is full of levels and intrigue. There is a winding stone-looking staircase, and several similar-looking doors that add to the confusion and fun.

After intermission, the set turns to reveal the backstage area for a hilarious second act. As "Nothing On" transpires in front of an "audience," Blackfriars' crowd gets to witness the hostilities and near-homicides that take place behind the scenes.

The cast's chemistry makes this nearly mimed act possible, with such tight choreography that it might have been set to music - if music could even be heard over the audience's laughter.

The set then rotates back during a five-minute second intermission, and act three brings a full-out performance of the train wreck "Nothing On," complete with a drunk burglar and Mrs. Clackett in hysterics.

The third act also brought an unexpected surprise at the performance I attended - a power outage at Blackfriars! What the majority of the audience clearly thought was one of the mishaps of "Nothing On" was actually a technical issue at the theater, through which the cast moved gracefully on, finishing the play with flashlights.

A stage full of strong actors, including two gems, pulls off the hysteria with plentiful energy - although not exactly grace.

Susan Hopkins, who plays Mrs. Clackett in "Nothing On" and Dotty, the actor, fills the stage with her experience and concentration, and shines brilliantly in the third act. As she performs "Nothing On," she even laughs at the ridiculousness that ensues. As she lets go of the wacky cast's performance, the audience lets go, as well, into uproarious laughter. Her nonchalance and physical presence steals the show.

A former student of Hunter College in New York, Hopkins boasts Off-Broadway credits to her résumé, as well as local appearances at Shipping Dock, the JCC, Downstairs Cabaret, and Geva, as an original member the theater's improv troupe.

A younger cast member with as much presence and commitment, Rebecca Spindler (Brooke and Vicki, the actor), over-acts to the point of hilarity. As the "diva" of the "Nothing On" cast, Brooke is the director's pet and shows off her body more than her acting talent. Spindler nails the part and shows that it takes a good actor to play a bad one.

Spindler graduated with a BFA in theater from Niagara University, and looks like an old pro as she makes her Blackfriars debut with "Noises Off."  She is clearly an audience favorite, and spends most of the show in her pink lacy skivvies. (She's not the only one who loses her clothes.)

Although the two strongest company members are women, the weakest is as well. Elizabeth Winslow, who plays Belinda Blair and Flavia, the actor, is physically awkward, in a way that doesn't add to the humor. She has a tendency to lean forward when delivering lines, which is distracting. Instead of working with the other cast members, she addresses many of her lines to the audience, in an empty way that doesn't convince. As written, the character's niceness would only be convincing with an innocent ingénue-type actress, which Winslow certainly does not pull off.

Not to discount the male performers, James Stadt should be mentioned, as he is adorable as Tim, the stage manager. As the third act begins, he addresses the audience directly to apologize for the delay, establishing that a performance of "Nothing On" will begin momentarily. His wit and knack for physical humor proves that James does not belong backstage.

The playwright, Michael Frayn, communicates his thoughts about the art of theater in a more serious manner through the promiscuous character Lloyd, director of "Nothing On," played by David Jason Kyle.

"I have not come to the theater to hear about other people's problems," the character says. "I have come to be taken out of myself and preferably not put back."

You may not have an out-of-body experience, but "Noises Off" is a slapstick show that will definitely make you laugh out loud.