The 39 Steps
Adapted by Patrick Barlow
From the novel by John Buchan and the movie by Alfred Hitchcock
Original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon
Directed by Harry R. Friedman
Produced by MainStage Irving- Las Colinas
Reviewed by Natalie Shaw
Should you ever come across a suspicious man with a package who offers you a great deal of money to simply deliver the package to an address that he's written down on a piece of paper, don't do it! Even if he offers you a million dollars, DON'T do it!! It's a trap, you see? Because, as soon as you take the package from his hand, you become involved. Yes, I said, "involved." You become involved in the scheme, the plan, which leads to murder and, god-forbid, your own death! And, what good is a million dollars if you're dead?
In The 39 Steps, becoming "involved" is exactly what happens to Richard Hannay, a thirty-something year old man in London, England in 1935. Tucker Souther depicts a whimsical Hannay with perfect comedic timing, alluring charm and spirited charisma Hannay, although bored with his mundane lifestyle and looking for fun, never anticipated this wild goose chase! When he meets Annabella Schmidt, who is a spy being chased by two men from "the organization," at a show being performed in The West End, he is hard-pressed by the poor woman to take her back to his apartment for her own safety. Although reluctant, Hannay agrees. When Annabella winds up dead, Hannay finds himself a suspect to her murder and runs for his life, while simultaneously following the map Annabella left him, to locate her murderer, in order to clear his name.
Caitlin Martelle brilliantly portrays multiple roles, including Annabella, and, later, Hannay's love-interest, Pamela. Regardless of what character she plays, Martelle leaves it all out on the stage-- fully committing herself in every scene and to each character's motives, impulses and temperament--indeed, were she not the same woman, I would not know she was! Martelle is not the only one wearing more than one hat in this play, however! David Willie and Derick Snow play Clown 1 and Clown 2, respectively, who undergo more costume changes and hat changes (with great speed, and often, right in front of the audience) than I could count! Roles in which Willie and Snow play include that of showmen, salesmen, policemen, hotel owners, Scotsmen, paperboys, and infinitely more characters of male and female genders, all with an abundance of humor and good wit! Nearing the end of the play, a sensational "death" scene by Willie left me in tears, which were literally rolling down my face, not out of sadness, but out of laughter. I would pay good money just to see that bit again! Unofficial cast members include the stage crew, themselves, bringing set pieces on and off stage (usually tardy to the scene, as directed, for good humor) tossing props and costume pieces to actors in need, in a split-second, while dawning their own costumes that add to the comedy of the show. Indeed, they too are clowns in this hilarious performance!
Harry R. Friedman has selected a phenomenal cast of actors, who brilliantly carry this play! The performers make magic happen with minimal, suggestive set pieces like three multi-use wooden boxes used as the interior and exterior of a train in a well-designed, amusing train-chase scene. Creative use of lights (Hank Baldree), sound (Zach Cantrell) and fog effects add to the audience's imagination throughout the production, oftentimes replacing what might've been included in the set design. Aesthetically, this set design (Dane Tuttle,) is purposefully lacking, with a minimum amount of furniture and a background of unfinished walls, held up by wooden frames. In conjunction with the basic furniture and a comically dysfunctional backstage crew, the incomplete set design gives the impression of a small, local community theatre who was severely unprepared on opening night. Thus suggesting a theme of confusion, regarding Hannay's narrative of "the 39 steps." In addition, the framed wooden walls turned around, suggest that we are privy to what's going on backstage in this story, specifically from Hannay's perspective of what really happened.
MainStage Irving-Las Colinas continues to bring us some of the most fascinating stories and musicals, many of which are new to the stage in the DFW area. Personally, this is one of my favorite things about MainStage! This hilarious comedy left me in stiches! If Agatha Christie and The Three Stooges gave birth to a love child, it would be the The 39 Steps. I urge you to see this uproarious production before it closes on February 3! Tickets can be purchased at mainstageirving.com.
Audience Rating: PG-13 for violence and sexual innuendo
Running Time: 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission
Accessible Seating: Available
Hearing Devices: Available
Sensory Friendly Showing: Not Available
ASL Performance: Not Available
Noises and Visuals to Prepare For: gunshots, use of fog, train whistles, performers engaged in the audience
Y'all Enjoy!
Natalie Shaw
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