The 40th anniversary production of Michael Frayn’s farce Noises Off will play at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre from October 24 to 28 at 7.30pm (matinees 2.30pm).

It serves up a riotous double bill, a play within a play. Hurtling along at breakneck speed, Noises Off follows the on and off-stage antics of a touring theatre company as they stumble their way through the fictional farce Nothing On.

From the shambolic final rehearsals before opening night in Weston-super-Mare, to a disastrous matinee in Ashton-under-Lyne seen entirely, and hilariously silently, from backstage, we share their final, brilliantly catastrophic performance in Stockton-on-Tees.

Directed by Lindsay Posner, it will star Liza Goddard as Dotty Otley, Matthew Kelly as Selsdon Mowbray and Simon Shepherd as Lloyd Dallas.

They will be joined by Simon Coates as Frederick Fellowes, Lucy Robinson as Belinda Blair, Daniel Rainford as Tim Allgood, Dan Fredenburgh as Garry Lejeune, Lisa Ambalavanar as Brooke Ashton and Nikhita Lesler as Poppy Norton-Taylor.

For tickets, priced from £35 (concessions from £12), call 01483 440000 or visit Yvonne-Arnaud.co.uk