Review of Noises Off...

Having seen this twice as a stage production (and by two different companies!), I have to say that you are really better off seeing it done on stage. The film is good, but it actually suffers by comparison. I think a part of the reason might be that I HAD seen it previously, so that it did not hit me like it may hit most first-timers, and also that I had high expectations for it. But I think it actually works better on a real stage. The timing becomes REAL in a way that the known proficiency of camera technique is not able to match. This is a psychological effect, to be sure, but it cannot be discounted. Film editing, splicing, etc, along with retakes up to the necessary hilt are factors in the back of our mind in the watching of any film. But when this play is effectively performed in the get-it-right necessity of a real-life production, the effect is actually overpowering, and the humor is stunning. Go see it on stage if you get the chance.

That is really all I have to say about it, but since ten lines of text are required (which must be a new requirement, because many of the comments I've seen appear to be much shorter) I guess I'll just have to keep going . . . or else this very significant review will never get out there for you to see. It feels sort of like having to keep a filibuster going, in which they just talk about anything in order to use up time. A rather stupid rule, I should say. A good writer hardly needs to extend his wordage. I mean, I've said it as I wanted to say it.