Fable/Plot Summary

Fable:

This is a story of the trials and tribulations of a cast and crew as well as direction of a big London play days before opening night. It seems that throughout as time goes by more and more problems seem to construe and come to the surface as the actors as well as the director find problems as well as flaws in the play as well as in completing listening to direction by the director as well. The story is of a husband and wife that have left their house and belongings and fled to Spain to run away from their problems with the IRS. While they are away they have a maid who looks over the place while they are gone to make sure that nothing happens to the house and to also take care of any business needed such as phone calls etc. The maid understands that the IRS is planning on selling their house and everything and one day she has a Realtor and his assistant come in to check out the place and take measurements so they say. In reality they are there just because they feel that no one lives in the house and it would be a great place to get fresh with each other. Little do they know that although the maid is there and taking care of the place that the husband and wife return for the night also. As things progress the Realtor and his assistant feel that the house is haunted and feel as though they are going nuts because of the voices they hear and belongings disappearing and reappearing. Soon they find out that the husband and wife have returned although they think that the Realtor and his assistant are the IRS and are out to get them which in return scare the husband and wife into running in and out of rooms in order to get away from them and the situation at hand. While this is going on a burglar breaks in thinking after staking the place out for months that no one would be there. The burglar is an elderly man who feels although people thinks he is too old to be doing this any more still thinks that he has it in him. Little does he know that he finds himself caught by the husband and wife as well as the Realtor and assistant who the assistant happens to be his daughter who hasn’t seen her father in years after she had ran away. There is no end to this story as though it may seem there might be due to the fact that the last line is never given due to the actress that is the Realtor assistant has a nervous breakdown and runs off the stage. Therefore the show that is being acted is never completed and always is just one act repeated over and over again.

Plot Summary:

The play takes a fond look at the follies of theatre folk, whose susceptibility to out-of-control egos, memory loss and passionate affairs turn every performance into a high-risk adventure. This comedy-within-a-comedy captures a touring theatre troupe’s production of Nothing On in three stages: dress rehearsal, the opening performance, and a performance toward the end of the run. Each performance is portrayed from behind the scenes, progressing from flubbed lines and missed cues in the dress rehearsal to mounting friction between cast members in the final performance. Brimming with slapstick comedy, Noises Off is a backstage farce of slamming doors, falling trousers and flying sardines!

http://www.stageagent.com/Shows/View/1248