Masquerade's Noises Off hits the Manoel Theatre's stage next week, here Iggy Fenech chats to POLLY MARCH about one of the most hilarious plays ever

 

Polly March is our Dame Judi Dench: she's been on the scene for decades and she's never stopped delivering. Her name lights up any poster, her performances are well talked about by connoisseurs and general audiences alike, oh, and she's even got her own IMDB page.

Now, she's playing Dotty Otley in the local production of Michael Frayn's 1982 British farce, Noises Off; and joined by a stellar cast directed by Anthony Bezzina, this play about play is sure to have all of us crying with laughter.

"Noises Off is about a second rate touring company rehearsing a third-rate farce called Nothing On," explains Polly. "It's set in the 1980s, and the title should tell you everything you need to know about this tour."

It all starts off as a group of actors - some veterans, some over and others so inexperienced they make you wonder how they ever made the cut - come together for Nothing On. The real drama, however, happens when the actors come off the metaphorical stage and onto the real-life stage of the Manoel. It's a tale of passion and larger-than-life humour; and it's so good, that 30 years on, it's still as timely.

"Funnily enough, I first saw this play back in the 80s at The Savoy, and it was so funny I think I wet the seat, I laughed so much. Or, possibly, my memory's going..." says Polly jokingly. "So, you can imagine my reaction when Tony Bezzina, our director, asked if I would be interested in playing Dotty. He had not even finished telling me the dates before I said 'Yes!' No playing hard to get about me! It's a dream of a role and I am thrilled to be a part of it here."

For Polly, Noises Off isn't just a farce that has stuck in her memory since the 80s; it's a true reflection of what happens backstage, when the show is done and when audiences leave. It's a play about the relationships that blossom and die along with the run of a production, of jealousy and rivalry, of travelling with a troupe and becoming a family that is replaced as soon as the next production starts.

"I've been working as an actress since the late 70s, and believe me, Michael Frayn has got so much of it right," elucidates Polly. "If you are touring to third-rate venues for months on end, all sorts of things happen with the rest of the cast - both good and bad.

"That's why I love Dotty, she's really real," Polly continues. "In the play, she's a fading character actress, best known for her role as a lollipop lady in a TV series. As with anyone working in this business, she has very little in the way of savings, but has invested them in a farce, and is playing the comic landlady - the days when she would have been the blonde in the underwear are well past her. Oh, and her father was a commander in the navy, and she was born in Malta! How about that for a great twist?"

 

Noises Off will be on at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta on 17, 18 & 19 and 24, 25 & 26 April, and, along with Polly March, will feature Alan Paris, Stephen Oliver, Jo Caruana, Victor Debono, Thomas Camilleri, Daphne Said, Stefan Farrugia, Rambert Attard and Tina Rizzo. Tickets can be purchased from www.teatrumanoel.com.mt or by calling on 2124 6389