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Michael Frayn
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Noises Off: A Play in Three Acts, a Samuel French Acting Edition Paperback – February 10, 2010

by Michael Frayn (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 286 ratings
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Farce / 5m, 4f / 2 Int. Called the funniest farce ever written, NOISES OFF returned to Broadway with Patti LuPone and Peter Gallagher and a manic menagerie that sent reviewers searching for new accolades as a cast of itinerant actors rehearsing a flop called NOTHING'S ON. "The most dexterously realized comedy ever about putting on a comedy. A spectacularly funny, peerless backstage farce. This dizzy, well-known romp is festival of delirium." - The New York Times "Bumper car brilliance...If
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    52 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Samuel French Inc Plays
  4. Publication date
    February 10, 2010
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 0.25 x 7.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0573619697
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0573619694
  8. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Michael Frayn

Full Length, Farce

Characters: 5 male, 4 female

2 Interior Scenes

Called the funniest farce ever written, NOISES OFF presents a manic menagerie as a cast of itinerant actors rehearsing a flop called NOTHING'S ON. Doors slamming, on- and backstage intrigue, and an errant herring all figure in the plot of this hilarious and classically comic play.

"The most dexterously realized comedy ever about putting on a comedy. A spectacularly funny, peerless backstage farce. This dizzy, well-known romp is festival of delirium."—The New York Times

"Bumper car brilliance...If laughter is indeed the best medicine, NOISES OFF is worth its weight in Cipro."—New York Daily News

"The funniest farce ever written! Never before has side-splitting taken on a meaning dangerously close to the non-metaphorically medical."—New York Post

"As side-splitting a farce as I have seen. Ever? Ever."—New York Magazine

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Samuel French Inc Plays; Edition Unstated (February 10, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 52 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0573619697
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0573619694
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.25 x 7.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 286 ratings

About the author

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Michael Frayn

Michael Frayn

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Michael Frayn was born in London in 1933 and began his career as a journalist on the Guardian and the Observer. His novels include Towards the End of the Morning, The Trick of It and Landing on the Sun. Headlong (1999) was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, while his most recent novel, Spies (2002), won the Whitbread Novel Award. His fifteen plays range from Noises Off to Copenhagen and most recently Afterlife.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
286 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

GW
5.0 out of 5 stars The farce to end all farces
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2016
Verified Purchase
Michael Frayn's Noises Off accomplishes the impossible: It is not only a side-splittingly funny farce in its own right, but also an homage to bedroom farces and a virtuoso examination of the form. I laughed myself silly when I first saw it staged in 1983, and found it even funnier in its current (2016) staging. But there is even more fun to be had in reading the script and seeing how brilliantly Frayn structured this play as a theme and variations. The stage directions are as funny as the dialog. Don't miss the parody of an academic discussion of farce at the very end of the book. I guarantee you'll never be able to read an academic discussion of drama without bursting into laughter.
6 people found this helpful
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Benjamin Fried
5.0 out of 5 stars Arrived quickly in good condition
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2024
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It's a new script. Not much to say, arrived in good condition.
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Andy
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Example of Farce
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2016
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Noises Off is the perfect example of a farce. It has all the qualities of a farce (fast paced, physical comedy, slapstick humor, etc), and I really enjoyed reading this play. Of course, it is a lot funnier if you watch it on stage or on screen, but picturing it in my head or watching an adaptation of the play makes it easier to picture as I am reading. Highly recommend!
One person found this helpful
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MarkyGibz
5.0 out of 5 stars Great English Farce
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2019
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Great farce! Laugh(s) on every page. Brought back memories of the Carol Burnett / Michael Caine / John Ritter / Christopher Reeves movie. Looking forward to seeing this produced on stage.
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Jeffrey J. Greene
4.0 out of 5 stars Noises Off, almost hits it's mark.
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2013
Verified Purchase
Peter Bogdanovich has taked Marty Kaplan's screenplay of Michael Frayn's hilarious play and has done a great job bringing this English Bedroom Farce Comedy to the screen. Michal Frayn go the idea from actually watching a dress rehearsal, from back stage. This timing of this piece has to be perfect, like a Swiss watch. Bogdanovich and his all-Star cast, headlined by Carol Burnett does this perfectly. It's only the added scenes outside the theater, that for me diminishes the fun one can have with this play.
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H. Schneider
5.0 out of 5 stars Sheer madness
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2016
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This is easily the funniest play that I remember. I had tried to read it, but it doesn't easily open itself to the reader. You need to see it on stage. I saw it in a German translation, which didn't seem to damage the 'message'.
You look at the stage from both sides here, and the full glory of stage craft becomes most apparent when looked at from behind the stage. Outrageously hilarious.
Don't bother too much with the story, which is about a touring theatre group staging a screwball comedy. After a while, you won't be able to distinguish the actors from their characters.
One person found this helpful
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Jonah Eisenberg
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2015
Verified Purchase
I love the formatting! One of my pet peeves is a badly formatted script, but this is easy to understand and really gets the humor of the show across to the reader, even if they're not watching the show itself. I also love the props lists, etc. at the back of the book.
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Theater guy
5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious!
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2018
Verified Purchase
Great writing and hilarious. I love the use of backstage vs. on set and the comedy just never ends. If it is produced well, it could be magnificent!
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Prairie Nomad
5.0 out of 5 stars Copy in excellent condition arrived quickly
Reviewed in Canada on November 10, 2021
Verified Purchase
Had read about this theatre production and so decided to purchase the play. Very satisfied with the book!
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ulrich strassenmeyer
5.0 out of 5 stars Prompt and reliable service.Good condition and price
Reviewed in Germany on January 14, 2023
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Medimops always wonderful
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Gabers_in_Space
5.0 out of 5 stars FANTASTIC!!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 5, 2013
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Got this little gem bceause I had seen the movie with Micheal Caine. It was well worth buying. It's a great play. Well written. The characters are hilarious. Timing superb. Well worth reading and performing.
One person found this helpful
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Septimus Croft
5.0 out of 5 stars Make sense of a great play
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 20, 2013
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Noises Off is fast, funny and clever.

When you read the script you realise how clever it really is!

Recommended for all theatre fans
One person found this helpful
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Jen
5.0 out of 5 stars No problems
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 16, 2016
Verified Purchase
As described. Very happy.
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