The 39 Steps by Patrick Barlow is a play adapted from the movie by Alfred Hitchcock itself an adaption of the novel by John Buchan. The novel established the genre of the sole man fleeing unassisted from sinister foes that led to modern examples such as The Fugitive and the James Bond movies and novels.
Richard Hannay and all the other roles in the novel, play and movie are flat characters meaning they are written with little backstory or character development. This is done to give the actors and director creative freedom. This freedom from predefined character gives the director latitude to choose his actors and the actors complete latitude to define the characters they are playing.
The plot of the story is also free of constraint. In most plots, the protagonist finishes his adventures as a person who is changed by going through the plot of the story. In this script, the Roger Hannay and the Pamela end the adventure the same as they began “ not for them is the type of change forced on Huckleberry Finn or the Count of Monte Cristo. A flat story line provides multiple scenes that a cast can use create its own unique entertainment experience.
This freedom of character and plot puts pressure on the show director, Phil Cook, and the cast to make an unexciting story line and boring characters exciting. They must seize every opportunity to demonstrate unique and compelling attributes in their characters and to create entertaining flourishes within a flourish-free script. Failure to meet the challenge yields a night of theatrical tedium.
This is the third production of The 39 Steps I have seen outside of New York since it became available for regional theater production in early 2011. In both the movie and one of these productions multiple actors played the various parts. In two plays, including this one, four actors play all roles. Both strategies can work but the four-actor approach puts much more pressure on the director and actors to create interesting and different characters.
This play uses the entire stage and both front wings of the house. The simple but creative scenery provides a perfect setting for the story. The production staff and particularly the stage crew managed by Shelby Winder were as sharp as I have seen in a long time. Their scene changes were like watching a symphony orchestra play. The flight scene played behind a back-lit flat replicating a shadow-box was a memorable highlight in this show. The crew used the rotating stage as perfect support for the action that moved on top of it.
This show opens with movie clip of Roger Hannay, played by Ray Thompson. Hannay has moved back to London from several years spent as an ex-patriot in Rhodesia, and is bored. He decides to attend the theater and the play begins.
Annabella Schmidt, a German secret agent, sits in the seat next to him. Schmidt is the first of three parts played by Nancy Server-Thompson. Hannay is starting his adventure and will not be bored long.
Clown I, played by Bill Algeo, comes on stage as Mr. Memory with Clown II, played by Geoff Yaroschak, as the MC. This opening scene was one of the first missed opportunities for entertainment.
Mr. Memory and the MC gave their lines word-perfect. Clown 1looked fetchingly insecure and Clown II appeared suitably delighted. There was little hint of anything neurotic or different about Mr. Memory. The MC could have been introducing a speaker at a church social. Two flat characters stretched a little, but did not take on a life of their own. Algeo and Yaroschak did show moments of entertaining brilliance at different times during the show, but they missed additional opportunities to entertain and enliven.
Thompson as Hannay and Server-Thompson as Annabella Schmidt/Pamela/Margaret have similar moments of brilliance and missed opportunities for entertainment. In one scene, Hannay and Pamela are running handcuffed from the bad guys when they come to a fence. A long dialog follows in which Hannay goes under the fence, Pamela does not. Hannay comes back and stands. The remaining dialog is delivered while they stand by the fence. The script dialog has one benefit for the audience “ it is an opportunity to look at your watch to check how long the show has run. Action is needed for the audience to gain more.
In every other production I have seen, Hannay and Pamela try again and again to get through the fence and they get tangled in new and interesting ways. You do not even listen to what they are saying because what they are doing is so interesting. When the dialog ends, they resolve the fence and the adventure continues.
The fence scene in this show captures the show, some moments of entertaining brilliance with missed opportunities for comedy and enjoyment leaving a flat plot bent but unbowed.
The 39 Steps continues through Sunday, November 18th. Shows are at 8PM on Friday and Saturday with a 2PM matinee on Sundays. Adult tickets are $15. Seniors and Children under 12 are $13.
Andrew Ferrous can be reached at