Throughout my research and when reading the script, I felt that there were many obstacles that formulate or could formulate in the production of Michael Frayn’s “Noises Off”. For starters, this production is unlike any other I have seen. This is because it can be compared to a shirt, seen both inside and out. This just means that the production shows all sides of the play, from the set to the back stage to the actors both in and out of character. I would think that a show of this magnitude would only be performed on a main stage theatre due to the amount of activity of the actors and large expanse of the set in general.
As for set design, I would ask for the insight of the designer and for them to give their personal opinion of what design concept would look best for this production. However, I would also give them specific instructions to make it a two-story set and implement some way of creating as many rooms as possible so that the actors have extra room for “play”. I would also explain how I relate the play to a shirt and ask them to try and include that concept in their design. This is important to me since there are multiple perspectives within the play and it is necessary to see all sides of the production. This aspect would be difficult to portray to the audience simply because of the nature of it, but it could be completed with a substantial amount of research. I feel this it is possible because other complex set designs already exist, such as revolving sets that allow multiple views to be seen.
As for the lights, I can only imagine how difficult it would be for the lighting designer to incorporate and portray all of the feelings associated with the story. This also includes showing the differences between the on and off stage sides of the set. While this is possible, it would require a lot of brain storming and research to determine what color schemes would yield the best outcome. Another difficult aspect of the design would be lighting both stories and keeping it balanced without lighting one story more than the other. Creating this balance is important because both stories will be used equally.
Concerning the prop designer, there would be a great deal of research involved in order to understand the time and place that the production is taking place in. This research is vital to prevent failure and allow the production to flow correctly. Examples of this research include exploring furniture options and determining which electronics were used during that time. As mentioned, researching the place is very important. This production was produced in the United Kingdom, so many differences with the props will exist since it is not based in the United States. Appliances are just one example of items that are distinctly different from those in the United States. Having incorrect props for the production could completely change the basis of this production. If the props did not fit with the time and place of the production, it would also not flow with the dialogue of the play or reflect the social and economic conditions of that time. Ultimately, they will need to have the appropriate props for the success of this production. Since the show was produced in the 1980s, there will be a lot of items for the prop director to work with. However, this also creates a lot of room for error and failure.
As for costumes, make-up, and hair, it would also need to be appropriate for the time the production was set in. If clothing styles or hairstyles were not adequate for the time, it would affect the flow of the production and hinder us from telling the story. It only makes sense to try to keep with the correct time period and ensure that everyone is dressed accordingly. This allows for the production to be cohesive and keep with the same concept that every other area of this production has based its design off of. Keeping every aspect of the production on the same page enables the concept of the shirt to stay intact without it turning into a tie dyed t-shirt.
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