© UC Regents, Photo by Jeanine Hill. Courtesy of UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts
Written by Patrick Chavis
Noises Off is playing now at the University of California, Irvine, March 6 – 14, 2026.
Directed by Eli Simon, Claire Trevor School of Arts’s latest production of Michael Frayn’s meta farce about a rehearsal and its subsequent production delivers on the hilarious gags of the material. As important as, if not more difficult, this production makes it all seem spontaneous and free. Fans of live theater and the material will definitely find plenty to enjoy in this showing.
For the uninitiated, Noises Off is a play within a play. You can even see the playbill posted in your playbill for the show. They are putting on a farce for the audience, which is you, but a farce is also going on for you, as well as for the other audience. Talk about a double whammy!
“© UC Regents, Photo by Jeanine Hill. Courtesy of UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts,”
For all of the silliness that does go on in this piece, it is not an easy feat. Besides the length, which requires two intermissions, the show also requires the actors to have a great sense of comedic timing and stage presence, and, by the gods, a sense of balance with the required movement. The commitment to the bit is impressive. The pratfalls look real, especially some of the physical comedy, from the slips on the ground to the actress Brooke Ashton (Lourdes Castillo) face-planting into the wall. She’s fine, everyone. It’s all part of the show, but it’s very convincing.
This is a brilliant play. While it could be easy to see it as just over-the-top entertainment on the surface, it works very well in this regard: the use of perspective from the front stage to the back, the battle between structure and chaos, the humor, the drama, the sardines, the saltiness of the whole ordeal.
It’s Scrumtrulescent.
“© UC Regents, Photo by Jeanine Hill. Courtesy of UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts,”
Partial Review on the review
set design/Lighting/Costumes:
Oh, no, here he goes again, Patrick is obsessed with the set again. Maybe he should have gone into interior design. OMG, there’s more to theater than the set. That being said, the set design and construction from Scenic Designer Gretchen Ugalde and the scenic production crew of Julia Ahn, Sophie Axelson, Messiah Birks, Ellie Chang, Anahi Cuevas, Kylie Dahl, Jessica Lopez, Kate Lynden, Nikki Rose, and Mariela Sontay really does catch the eye — especially — the back of the stage design in Act 2.
While nothing new, the second act is typically set at the back of the stage. The bare, wooden aesthetic is a great fit for the very grounded backstage scenario, while providing very practical paths for the actors to work with largely balanced lighting, as well as strategically placed lighting from Lighting Designer Hayden Kirschbaum, for that little extra. It really is a set that inhabits both worlds.
Such great ensemble work here, and even when things didn’t go as smoothly as they possibly could, the moment never wavered. If anything, it made it even more funny.
Tip the costumer and hairdresser Heriberto Cruz, Jr. (Lloyd) looks like he walked out of the 1970s and right onto the set. Much of the cast is no different. Costume Designer Kari Setlak anchored in on the fashion of the time while also choosing some rather groovy garments.
Sarah Hentges’s (Poppy Norton-Taylor) anxiety-filled performance is infectious, jumping off the stage and right into your bones.
Evan Lugo’s (Garry Lejeune) character, for sure, has trouble getting his thoughts out in an understandable way, but he has no problem making every moment count. It’s an incredible showing in both aspects.
After all this time, I can’t help but get a chuckle. It was like seeing it for the first time.
“© UC Regents, Photo by Jeanine Hill. Courtesy of UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts,”
8.9 out of 10! It’s an excellent show! OCR Recommended! I think it was a pretty good review, but it could definitely improve, 7.2 out of 10! Average on the review. Oof, you’re a tough one, but I’ll take it.
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Story8.7Acting9Set & Design8.8Costumes8.5Entertainment9.3
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Excellent show! OCR Recommended!
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WOW!! This was a great production and I loved seeing it with my family LOL
It was super funny and had an amazing set design!! Actors were great