What could possibly be more chaotic, hilarious, and self-referential than a backstage comedy? Naturally, it is the rare opportunity to go truly behind the scenes of that very backstage comedy. Theatre enthusiasts and comedy lovers alike are currently being treated to a brilliant meta-theatrical experience courtesy of Broadway favorite Lesli Margherita. Recently, the acclaimed stage star pulled back the curtain—literally and figuratively—in an exclusive, high-energy behind-the-scenes video feature filmed for Playbill, offering audiences a rare, unfiltered glance into the inner workings of Michael Frayn’s timeless masterpiece, Noises Off, currently running at the prestigious Barrington Stage Company in Massachusetts.
For this special feature, Margherita—known for her powerhouse vocals and razor-sharp comedic timing in such Broadway hits as Matilda the Musical and Gypsy—acts as the ultimate tour guide. Armed with a camera, high spirits, and her own "traveling chandelier," she navigates the labyrinthine backstage corridors of the venue. Viewers are treated to an all-access pass: witnessing Margherita give a comprehensive, delightfully chaotic dressing room tour, observing the meticulous and often hilarious process of getting into character as the beleaguered Dottie Otley, and even taking a thrilling ride on the production’s massive, spinning turntable set.
This acclaimed staging of Noises Off, which continues its strictly limited engagement through September 6, is helmed by master director Gordon Greenberg (noted for his work on The Heart of Rock and Roll and Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors). Greenberg’s vision breathes fresh, frantic life into Frayn’s brilliantly engineered farce, which tracks the escalating disasters of a wildly dysfunctional, second-rate theatre troupe touring a dodgy sex farce titled Nothing’s On. As opening night approaches, tech rehearsals disintegrate, backstage romances combust, and props miraculously misplace themselves, ensuring that everything that can possibly go wrong—definitely, catastrophically does.
Supported by a stellar, star-studded cast featuring some of Broadway’s most accomplished comedic and dramatic actors, the Barrington Stage Company production has emerged as a theatrical highlight of the summer season. As the production barrels toward its final performances, this comprehensive report explores the anatomy of the Barrington staging, the rich history of Frayn’s legendary script, the creative team driving the production’s technical wizardry, and the enduring appeal of the ultimate theatrical farce.
Detailed Chronology: From London’s West End to the Berkshires
To fully understand the triumph of the current Barrington Stage Company production of Noises Off, one must look back at the arduous and brilliant evolution of Michael Frayn’s script—a masterclass in structural engineering disguised as a dizzying comedy of errors.
The Genesis of a Masterpiece (1982)
The conceptual origins of Noises Off trace back to 1970, when playwright Michael Frayn was standing in the wings of a theatre watching one of his own plays, The Two of Us, being performed by Lynn Redgrave and Richard Briers. Frayn observed a stark and undeniable truth: the view from behind the curtain was substantially funnier than the performance taking place out front. He initially wrote a short, one-act version titled Exits, which was staged in London in 1977.
Encouraged by the response, Frayn expanded the concept into a full-length, three-act play. Noises Off—named after the theatrical stage direction for noises originating from offstage—officially premiered at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith, London, in 1982 before quickly transferring to the West End, where it became an instantaneous critical and commercial sensation.
The Broadway Invasion (1983)
Following its massive West End success, the production crossed the Atlantic, making its Broadway debut at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in December 1983. Directed by Michael Blakemore, the original Broadway staging was a marvel of physical timing and precision. It went on to run for 553 performances, cementing its status as a modern classic of farce.
Over the decades, the play has established itself as a staple of regional theatres, repertory companies, and academic stages worldwide. It has also received two major Broadway revivals: a well-received 2001 production directed by Jeremy Sams and starring Patti LuPone, Peter Gallagher, and Katie Finneran (who won a Tony Award for her frantic performance as Brooke Ashton); and a celebrated 2016 revival directed by Jeremy Herrin, which featured a blockbuster cast including Megan Hilty, Campbell Scott, J. Smith-Cameron, and Rob McClure.
The Barrington Stage Company Engagement (Summer 2026)
Fast-forward to the summer of 2026, and Noises Off has found a vibrant, sun-drenched home in the Berkshires at the Barrington Stage Company. Under the sharp, comedic direction of Gordon Greenberg, the production began its rehearsal process in mid-summer, focusing heavily on the grueling physical choreography required to execute Frayn’s labyrinthine stage directions.
As captured in Lesli Margherita’s exclusive Playbill video feature released on August 27, 2026, the backstage reality of the Barrington production mirrors the chaos of the play itself—albeit with significantly more professionalism and joy. Margherita’s video guides audiences through the hectic final weeks of the run, highlighting the intricate mechanics of the rotating set designed by Sotirios Livaditis and Todd Rosenthal, and showcasing the camaraderie among a cast that has spent the summer perfecting the art of controlled panic. With performances scheduled to wrap up on September 6, 2026, the production stands as one of the definitive theatrical events of the regional season.
Supporting Context & Metrics: The Cast, Creative Team, and Technical Mastery
Noises Off is notorious in the theatrical community for being one of the most physically demanding, tightly timed scripts ever written. It requires absolute synchronization between the actors, the stage management team, and the technical crew. A misstep of even half a second can throw off a sequence of slamming doors, dropped sardines, and flying trousers.
The Ensemble Cast
The Barrington Stage Company production boasts an embarrassment of riches, assembling a powerhouse ensemble of Broadway veterans who bring decades of combined comedic and dramatic expertise to Frayn’s archetypal characters:
- Lesli Margherita as Dottie Otley: A Laurence Olivier Award winner (for Zorro) and Broadway favorite (Gypsy, Matilda the Musical), Margherita anchors the chaos with her indomitable stage presence, portraying the aging soap star struggling to remember her lines and her props (specifically, a plate of sardines).
- Erin Davie as Belinda Blair: Known for her stunning work in Sunday in the Park with George and Grey Gardens, Davie brings poise and sharp observation to the role of the sensible, gossipy company member.
- Nehal Joshi as Garry Lejeune: A versatile performer seen in The Cottage and The Phantom of the Opera, Joshi tackles the perpetually inarticulate and physically volatile Garry with boundless energy.
- Abby Leigh Huffstetler as Poppy Norton-Taylor: Huffstetler delivers a masterclass in mounting anxiety as the company’s fragile, overwhelmed stage manager-turned-understudy.
- Orville Mendoza as Selsden Mowbray: Fresh off acclaimed runs in Swept Away and The Heart of Rock and Roll, Mendoza plays the hard-of-hearing, sherry-swilling veteran actor with impeccable timing.
- James Joseph O’Neil as Frederick Fellowes: Bringing his extensive classical training (Take Me Out, Present Laughter) to the role, O’Neil expertly handles Frederick’s frequent nosebleeds and existential dread regarding violence.
- Geoff Packard as Lloyd Dallas: A veteran of Bandstand and Matilda the Musical, Packard plays the increasingly unhinged, exhausted director watching his cast self-destruct from the house.
- Jennifer Sánchez as Brooke Ashton: Bringing her vibrant energy from Real Women Have Curves and On Your Feet!, Sánchez portrays the dim-witted sex symbol who perpetually loses her contact lenses.
- Evan Alexander Smith as Tim Allgood: Fresh from Broadway’s Back to the Future and Merrily We Roll Along, Smith rounds out the ensemble as the chronically exhausted, overworked stage manager running himself ragged.
The Creative and Technical Infrastructure
Behind every slammed door and soaring sardine is a world-class design team that ensured the physical comedy could land with maximum impact.
- Scenic Design: The production features ingenious scenic design by Sotirios Livaditis, with co-scenic design by Todd Rosenthal. Because Act II of Noises Off requires the entire two-story set to spin around 180 degrees to show the backstage perspective during a matinee performance, the engineering must be both robust and whisper-quiet.
- Costume Design: Izumi Inaba crafted the period-appropriate, highly specific wardrobe, which includes everything from frilly maid outfits to alarming daytime attire that must withstand aggressive physical comedy, tumbles down stairs, and hurried wardrobe changes.
- Lighting and Sound: Lighting designer Wheeler Moon and sound designer Connor Wang work in tandem to cue the jarring auditory cues—such as slamming doors, ringing telephones, and offstage shouts—that drive the comic momentum of the play.
- Stage Management: Production stage manager Anjee Nero and assistant stage manager Leslie Sears hold the chaotic ship together, mirroring the heroic efforts of their fictional counterparts, Poppy and Tim.
Official Statements & Production Insights
The collaborative spirit and sheer physical demands of mounting Noises Off have been a frequent topic of discussion among the Barrington creative team. Director Gordon Greenberg, whose affinity for swift, high-concept comedy has been proven through works like Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, spoke about the unique challenge of tackling Frayn’s masterpiece.
"There is no net in Noises Off," Greenberg noted during early rehearsals. "It is a Swiss watch built out of sledgehammers. The mathematics of the physical comedy have to be exact, but the actors have to play it with absolute emotional desperation. If they aren’t fighting for their lives up there, the comedy doesn’t work. Working with this extraordinary cast has been an exercise in joy; they are fearless athletes of the stage."
Lesli Margherita, whose behind-the-scenes video provided fans with an unprecedented look at the production’s inner sanctum, emphasized the communal energy required to survive a run of the play:
"Doing a farce like this is an endurance sport," Margherita shared in her Playbill feature. "You have to trust the person to your left and your right implicitly—otherwise, someone is getting hit with a fire axe or a plate of sardines. Taking everyone backstage with me lets them see that the madness happening on stage is matched only by the absolute, organized chaos happening in the wings. We are spinning plates, literally and figuratively, every single night."
Stage management team member Anjee Nero echoed these sentiments, pointing out that the backstage choreography is often more complex than the onstage action:
"In a normal show, backstage is where you go to catch your breath," Nero explained. "In Noises Off, backstage is a second play running simultaneously, filled with whispered arguments, frantic costume rips, prop handoffs, and people hiding under stairs. It’s an adrenaline rush like no other in theatre."
Future Outlook
As the Barrington Stage Company’s summer season draws to its scheduled close on September 6, 2026, the legacy of this specific production of Noises Off is already secure. In an era where theatre audiences increasingly crave high-octane entertainment, intelligent writing, and virtuoso performances, Greenberg’s staging has proven that classical farce remains as vital and sidesplitting today as it was when Michael Frayn first conceived it in the wings of a London theatre over four decades ago.
While there have been no official announcements regarding a subsequent national tour or commercial transfer for this specific Barrington iteration, the overwhelming critical acclaim and sold-out houses suggest that the appetite for this level of theatrical craftsmanship is boundless. Regional theatres across the country are likely to take inspiration from Greenberg’s brisk pacing and stellar casting choices, ensuring that Noises Off will continue to delight audiences for generations to come.
For theatregoers eager to catch the final performances of the Barrington Stage Company engagement before the curtain falls on September 6, tickets and further information remain available via the official website at BarringtonStageCo.org. Meanwhile, Lesli Margherita’s behind-the-scenes video feature on Playbill will stand as a permanent digital monument to a summer of theatrical sweat, laughter, and high-flying backstage hilarity.
