emiller+39+steps

Erin Miller //39 Steps // Critique 10/3/11 Theatre Appreciation //39 Steps // to Bliss The Performing Arts have never been my strong suit. I took a dance class from the age of three to six, and when asked my favorite part I would ramble about the cookies my teacher gave me at the end of class. One problem was I never had good balance, and would fall during turns and jumps, resulting in my permanent spot being the far back row. Sometimes my family and I like to watch the old videos that my mom recorded of me, you can always hear her trying to silence her giggles as I obliviously pranced around the stage. As I got older my parents let me take two years of singing lessons only to produce a child more tone deaf after lessons than before, and let’s not forget the play I auditioned for in the fifth grade. I was so pleased to tell my parents I got a part, it wasn’t until they came to see the play that they realized that I didn’t have any lines… My relationship with the arts has been a rocky road in the past but one thing I have always been good at is being an audience member. So when I bought my ticket to //39 Steps//, I tried to get some friends to go see it with me, but unfortunately not everyone was as excited as about the upcoming production. In fact, I got ready, walked to the Fine Arts building and watched the play by myself. I did not regret it for one second. //39 Steps// was fast paced, hilarious and bizarre. I found myself smiling the whole time and just when I thought I had it figured out, the plot would jump in another direction completely. Every individual aspect of the show was phenomenal, but together all the parts and people of the production complemented each other effortlessly and came together to create a piece that had universal appeal, which is a rarity.  Character switches were common during the play, and with only six actors I feared the play could turnout looking messy. To my surprise, the actors performed the switches seamlessly and even incorporated the constant changes into the humor of the play. Many times key costume pieces, such as a hat, were used to signal which character the actor was portraying. Ryan LaMotte, who played many parts such as the circus conductor, the milkman and the man with no pinky, jumped from character to character with an accuracy that I had not expected to see in an amateur play. At some points the character adjustments were happening so quickly that I was worried that each character’s unique accent would become diluted, but this was not the case. All of the actors, except Edward McCreary, who played Richard Hannay, had multiple parts, and not one person let the chaos show in their portrayals of the eccentric personalities. The chaotic scenes, like the one between Ryan LaMotte and Adam Fiddler in the train car, displayed the immense talent that each actor possesses. These two actors used hats to indicate which character they were, and kept it going for a relatively long time, the whole while continuing to show the characters’ signature traits. I was smiling and laughing throughout the whole scene. I am not one hundred percent sure, but it is very possible my mouth may have even been wide open in astonishment as they moved around. The actors also represented the perfect balance between raunchy and witty comedy. Many times I was taken aback by the sexual humor referenced, probably because this was my first “school play” out of high school. I reveled in the fact that the actors were able to say the things that I would see in a movie while still keeping it professional. Tressa Preston, who played all of the female roles, used Richard Hannay’s infatuation with women to create a tension that she broke with funny puns and sexual allusions. Preston’s dramatic actions were added to the scenes and she soon became the one everyone was watching. Although this type of comedy can swiftly get uncomfortable, the clever wit balanced out the “14 year old boy” humor flawlessly. The ingenious jokes, such as the other Hitchcock titles being used in conversation, never made the mistake of touching on a topic that not everyone could understand and relate to. I saw people of all ages sitting in the audience, and almost everyone was always laughing together. During the mistakes of the show, the actors’ calmly performed as though nothing had gone wrong. In one scene, the flashlight fell off the “car” and Adam Fiddler reacted perfectly, he created an amusing situation that stayed consistent with the character and could not have been planned better. I have never been to a show that appealed to so many different types of people, and that attests to the greatness of the performance. Unlike the exaggerated actors, the props were minimalistic. They were mostly things like trunks, chairs, door frames and steel contraptions that resembled cages. The props did not distract from the actors but yet could be used comically. In one scene, pillows on a string were used to represent sheep crossing the road. The creative use of the props made the play visually interesting but the simplicity also ensured that not too much time was spent on set changes. The changes to the set were done by the two ushers that seated people in the beginning and usually lasted less than 15 seconds, keeping up with the fast pace of the play’s plot and dialogue. The plain props also allowed them to be used in various ways. The trunks were tables, beds and chairs, while the metal bar device was used as arch, a walkway and a hiding place. I found myself envisioning each object as though it was on a fully decorated stage, and I was constantly surprised at the imaginative uses for each prop. Twice during the show the actors went further to break the fourth wall of theatre by running through the rows in a high speed chase and by walking straight into an unsuspecting girl sitting front row. I was always on my toes, ready to laugh at the next pun, smile at the next clever comment or be astounded by the next set change. Although the bland set may seem amateur and boring at first glance, it is soon realized how difficult it is to create a world that the audience wants to live in for two hours of their lives with few props. The stage where the play was performed was called the Cellar Theatre. It was small, dark and hidden. I heard many people around me talking about how they had never even known this small stage existed. It only added to the mystery and romance of the play. The tight space felt more like a speakeasy from the 1920s than a theatre in a modern university. The space was intimate and made me feel as though I was participating in the action. The more admirable aspect of this stage choice was that the production team could have chosen to perform on a larger stage, I saw many people standing outside the box office, hoping to get a ticket to the sold out show. I loved that I felt like I was one of the few lucky ones witnessing the action; it was like a personal showing. The theatre was regal, the seats were covered in a blood red fabric and the stage’s floors were a dark wood. These small details, although maybe unnoticeable to some, added richness to the play, giving it a feel as though we actually were sitting in an early twentieth century theatre watching a show. //39 Steps // is highly theatrical and extravagant. The Hitchcock film was made in the 1930s and so the production team felt it needed to feel reminiscent of the era. Michael O’Connell and Jonathan Foss, the lighting and sound directors, understood the necessity of creating an atmosphere consistent with the play’s old fashioned feel. The lighting was dim and brooding. Many times the lights fell on the actors from eye level creating almost a form of tunnel vision and highlighting the darkness around them. Large shadows emphasized the drama. In the first scene, the shadows of the circus men were enormous, creating a feeling of importance. I knew that the scene was supposed to feel as though I was actually at the circus, and as the lights became dimmer, the plot became more mysterious. The sound mimicked the plot and the era as well. The music was jazzy in some parts, intense in others. The gun shots shocked me almost every time, even when I knew they were coming and one girl next to me quietly whimpered at every blast. The sounds and the lights helped to complete the vintage vision that the production team had hoped to accomplish. Although the play was not perfect in every sense, I could not stop wishing my friends were there to watch the performance with me. It was comical in all the right places and made me feel as though I was witnessing something from history. The combination of the talented actors, simplistic and creative set designs, as well as the reminiscent lights and sounds created a production that everyone involved should be proud of. Was I a little confused during the last scene? Yes. And were their accents a little hard to understand sometimes? Yes, but those small obstacles can easily be forgotten. The play made me wish I had been more successful at my childhood endeavors. I have been to many plays that were enjoyable but never one which was so exciting and fascinating. I always find myself wandering off as I watch any type of theatre performance, but I can honestly say that I was intrigued throughout the whole show. I loved every minute and am so glad I got to take a trip back to 1935 with Hitchcock and six of my most fascinating friends. And although the many grand aspects of the play were what made it unforgettable, in the end, I am a sucker for comedy and //39 Steps// found a way straight to my heart.