[NEohioPAL] Berko review: THE 39 STEPS @ Cleveland Play House

[Roy Berko]

Farcical THE 39 STEPS delights at the Cleveland Play House

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--
LORAIN COUNTY TIMES--WESTLAKER TIMES--LAKEWOOD NEWS TIMES--OLMSTED-FAIRVIEW 
TIMES

--COOLCLEVELAND.COM-

THE 39 STEPS, now on stage at the Cleveland Play House, is best known as a 1935 
British film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, which was loosely based on a novel by 
John Buchan.  Though the play closely follows the film, Patrick Barlow's stage 
adaptation, leaves the thriller aspects behind and stresses the fun of the 
piece.  Fun spelled f-a-r-c-e.

Patrick Barlow is a believer in “self-reflexive thought theatre.”  The concept 
recognizes that what is happening on the stage is taking place in a theatre, 
before an audience.  The audience knows it.  The actors know it.  So, let's not 
hide the obvious, but use devices and exaggeration to have fun.  His concept 
uses little to create a lot-a few set pieces, some props, and very few actors.  
In fact, in THE 39 STEPS, 4 actors play over 140 characters.  Yep, 1-4-0.

Farce, in the form of double takes, things going deliberately wrong, actors 
coming out of character, exaggerations, visual images that are created by 
ladders and a fan turning into a airplane, people walking up and down stairs 
when no stairs are there, dives off a bridge that isn't there, into water that 
isn't there, costumes being torn off and others put on before our very eyes, and 
hats being switched at such a speed that even the actors can't keep track of 
them.  Yes, this is fun stuff.

The stage version started in 1995 when the show toured small villages and tiny 
theatres in England,  It was brought to London in 2005, opened in Boston in 
2007, came to New York in 2008, won two Tony Awards, and is still running.

The story concerns Richard Hannay, a Canadian who has come back to England.  He 
is bored, so he goes to a music hall.  As he is watching a demonstration of the 
superlative powers of Mr. Memory, shots are fired.  Into his box comes a 
mysterious woman who talks him into taking her back to his apartment.  There, 
she tells him that she is a spy, being chased by assassins, and that she has 
uncovered a plot to steal vital British military secrets, masterminded by a man 
with the top joint missing from one of his fingers. She mentions the 
"thirty-nine steps." but does not explain its meaning.  And so, we start on our 
madcap romp, complete with dramatic music each time the 39 steps are mentioned! 

The Play House production, as directed by Peter Amster, gets it mostly right.   
Amster and his cast know how to create farce, and, except for some lag spots, 
they hit all the right tickle bones.

Rob Johansen and Joe Foust, as Clown 1 and 2, are amazing.  Their quick changes 
in costumes, vocal sounds, accents and physicality are engrossing.  Nick Sandys 
is character right as Richard Hannay, and Sarah Nealis plays all the women 
(except when one of the clowns is playing a woman) with panache.

Linda Buchanan's scenic, Michael Lincoln's lighting, Victoria Toy DeIorio's  
sound designs enhance the production.  

Alex, my teen age grandson, who is known around town as “The Kid Reviewer” as he 
opens the window of how tweens and teens will react to shows, had very positive 
words of wisdom.  He was “really” delighted.  He agreed with grandpa about the 
lull segments-the end of act I, the hotel segment in the room, and the final 
scene.  He found himself laughing with glee at the “shticks” and appreciated the 
talent needed to portray “all of those parts.”  He thought kids and their 
parents “will really enjoy the show,” especially all the “really funny parts.”  
(He's a teenager who likes the word “really.”)

CAPSULE JUDGMENT:   Seeing farce done well is a rarity.  The Cleveland Play 
House, during the run of THE 39 STEPS is an excellent place to experience farce 
done right!  Go!  Laugh!  Enjoy!

THE 39 STEPS runs through October 10 .  For tickets call 216-795-7000 or go to 
www.clevelandplayhouse.com.

Next up at CPH:  THE KITE RUNNER, Oct. 15-Nov 7.  Based on the best selling 
book, this is an emotional tale of friendship, family and redemption. 
Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 
2010, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at 
http://royberko.info
His reviews can also be found on www.coolcleveland.com and NeOHIOpal (to 
subscribe visit http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/neohiopal.)