Lyric Stage Boston opened its production of Michael Frayn’s “Noises Off,” directed and choreographed by Ilyse Robbins, Nov. 15. Based on the 1992 movie of the same name, Lyric Stage Boston put on its theatre production with minimal space but maximal creativity. 

“Noises Off” is a farce, a genre of comedic drama that uses highly exaggerated, improbable and absurd situations to entertain the audience. While some of the events that took place in the show were exaggerated and comedic, it was informative of the obstacles that those in theatre face. The cast, which includes Samantha Richert Boehm, an associate teaching professor in the theatre department, is able to reflect some of the chaos of theatre through their performances.

 In “Noises Off,” a cast rehearses and puts on a play of their own titled “Nothing On.” The play-within-a-play comprises three acts and requires immense coordination from the actors. 

“This is amongst the most fun I’ve had working on a play,” said Dan Garcia, who plays overworked stage manager Tim Allgood. “I’ve laughed the whole time throughout rehearsal, and I think everyone’s going to love it.”

Garcia describes his character as a stage manager who will do whatever it takes to make sure the show runs smoothly. Unfortunately, everything that can go wrong when putting on a play does go wrong in “Noises Off.” Despite their best efforts, the cast and crew of “Nothing On” have a hard time getting through rehearsals and the show for various reasons, from forgetting lines to outside distractions. As a result, there is a lot of “controlled chaos,” but the madness adds to the fun, Garcia said. 

Despite the play’s fun nature, a big theme of the play was shedding light on the realities of theatre. For example, the late night rehearsals and wardrobe malfunctions that happen in “Noises Off” are inevitable challenges of theatre in general because actors must do whatever it takes to make sure the show goes on.

With the venue hosting a smaller stage, Lyric Stage Boston productions require a lot of planning to make sure the actors are able to physically perform to their fullest potential. There is a lot of movement, especially in Act II, where scenes resemble more of a gymnastics ring than a play due to myriad movements and intricate choreography. The act’s second scene, for example, is high energy with intricate steps. Some characters go missing, others angrily swing an axe and one character constantly seeks out a drink. In the script, there is almost the same amount of stage directions as dialogue, and sometimes, Robbins adds her own twist. She says that she will occasionally adjust stage directions according to what fits best in the small space the cast has to work with. 

“Because of my dance and choreography background, I see everything in terms of movement,” Robbins said. “It works like the gears of a watch.” 

As for the actors, Joseph Marrella, who plays Garry Lejeune, an actor that portrays a real estate agent, said that performing in “Noises Off” feels like simultaneously patting your head and rubbing your stomach. Due to the complexity of having to navigate two plays while still making all the right movements, attention to what other actors are doing or saying is crucial. 

“The scariest thing was if we got off our lines by one word, it could throw everything into chaos,” Marrella said.

As entertaining of a show as it is, it is simultaneously a tribute to theatre. Thanks to “Noises Off,” there are some aspects of a theatrical production, like quick changes and backstage drama, that the audience is able to see for the first time. 

“Noises Off” requires an immense amount of collaboration and communication between the actors, which can be tiring. Marrella said he sometimes still needs time to recover physically and mentally after shows. 

Garcia, on the other hand, isn’t tired just yet. Instead, his excitement for the show fuels his energy. Part of what keeps him motivated is his background as a stage manager prior to pursuing an acting career, which is why he auditioned for the role of Allgood, he said.

“Stage managers are not appreciated as much as they should be,” Garcia said. “They’re working from sunup to sundown. You could never do a show without a stage manager.”

Garcia knew that playing Allgood would be a challenge, but Robbins’ direction played a vital role in developing his character.

“My performance is nothing like I would have imagined, and she’s been heaven-sent. I am very thankful for her,” he said. 

He further explained that one of Robbins’ specialties is attention to detail. Due to her meticulousness, Robbins has looked at the show from every angle possible in the theatre, Garcia said, ensuring there won’t be a bad seat. 

In some seats by the side of the stage, you can see both “Noises Off” and “Nothing On” happening at the same time. There is no doubt that both the shows’ characters and actors are trying their hardest to pull off a successful show.

Under Robbins’ direction, everyone has had a positive experience working with each other. At first, Garcia didn’t know anyone going into rehearsals, but the cast quickly warmed up to each other. 

“They provided such a loving atmosphere,” he said. “It’s only helped me grow as an actor and improve the show. It’s been super fun, and it’s turning into something really special.”

Even though “Noises Off” is a challenging production due to the complexity of the show, Robbins said it’s easy when she’s working with this cast.

“There’s no ego in this group,” she said. “This play could have a start track, [but] it feels like an ensemble.”

Compared to the movie, Garcia said the theatre production of “Noises Off” is “a lot funnier.” 

“There hasn’t been a day where I haven’t laughed,” he said. “It’s farce at its finest.”

“Noises Off” will run at Lyric Stage Boston until Dec. 22.