HALLOWELL — The Gaslight Theater has announced auditions for “Noises Off” are set for 6:30 p.m. Sunday, March 19, and Monday, March 20, at Hallowell City Hall Auditorium.

The play by English playwright Michael Frayn, is directed by Linda Duarte. Those who audition will be asked to do cold readings from the script.

“Noises Off” is a 1982 play, and the idea for it came in 1970, when Frayn was watching from the wings a performance of “The Two of Us,” a farce he had written for Lynn Redgrave. He said, “It was funnier from behind than in front. 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 offstage intrigue, and an errant herring all figure in the plot of this comic play.

The cast

Lloyd Dallas: The director of a play-within-the-play, “Nothing On.” Temperamental, exacting and sarcastic. Involved with both Brooke and Poppy.

Dotty Otley: A middle-aged television star who is not only the top-billed star but also one of the play’s principal investors. Dating the much younger Garry.

Garry Lejeune: The play’s leading man, a solid actor who is completely incapable of finishing a sentence unless it is dialogue. Constantly stutters and ends sentences with “you know …” Dating Dotty and prone to jealousy.

Brooke Ashton: A young, inexperienced actress from London. She pays no attention to others, either in performance or backstage, and persists in her role as scripted regardless of any interruption or mayhem. She is always losing her contact lenses, which she is blind without. Part of the Lloyd–Poppy–Brooke love triangle.

Frederick “Freddie” Fellowes: Has a serious fear of violence and blood, both of which give him nosebleeds. Well-meaning, but lacks confidence and is rather dim-witted.

Belinda Blair: Cheerful and sensible, a reliable actress and the company’s defacto peacemaker. Something of a gossip, and a bit two-faced. Has a rather protective attitude towards Freddie.

Selsdon Mowbray: An elderly, half-deaf “pro” with a long, storied career and a drinking problem. If he is not in sight while rehearsing, the stage crew must find him before he finds anything alcoholic.

Poppy Norton-Taylor: Assistant stage manager and understudy to the female roles. Emotional, skittish and over-sensitive. Part of the Lloyd-Poppy-Brooke love triangle and, by act two, pregnant with Lloyd’s baby.

Tim Allgood: The over-worked and easily flustered stage manager, who must understudy, fix the set and run Lloyd’s errands on top of his usual duties.

For more information, call Gaslight Theater at 626-3698.

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