NW39Steps

The comedic adaption of the classic Hitchcock thriller, The 39 Steps, at the University of Georgia, works on the whole as a consistently funny, and sometimes hilarious production. The play brings the text to life in a vivid and creative way that has lasting power for the audience. The production also does an excellent job of blending a substantial amount of humor into the play without losing the direction of the textual plot advancements. Much of the apparent comedic appeal can be traced to the zany antics of the supporting characters and the versatility with which the actors who play them are able to perform, but the main characters should earn an equal amount of respect in anchoring the situations that are explored in the play. Most importantly, the main characters have ingrained in their character construct a significant number of quirks to keep them interesting in relation to the shifting clown characters. The production is also notable in its decision to break down the fourth wall that is often present in many other theatrical productions, again for sarcastically comic effect.

The set of the play emphasizes the textual development of setting the classic “play within a play” convention that is used in the theater, television, and movies. The audience enters and first notices on the stage two pattern painted balconies placed mirroring each other in the style of a large, grand theater. From there, the balconies are always left on the stage throughout the remainder of the play, even though only the final scene of the play required the balconies in relation to the action and proper intended setting of the text. The final scene serves as a full circle coda for the play, as evidenced by the return of the relevancy of the balconies, as the characters went back to the show that featured Mr. Memory. Before the play begins, comedic cartoons from what the audience assumes to be the time period the play is set in (the 1930s) are projected onto a cloth. This allows the audience to acclimate themselves to the climate of the play before it can even begin, while also not allowing audience members who arrived early to become bored. The presence of the idea of a play within a play remains present throughout the rest of the production. The initial actors who serve as the ushers for the scripted play make themselves visible again as the prop movers, and acknowledge that the audience is present at some instances during the play. At one point, the male usher opens the prop door and walks through it and the female usher kicks her foot, as if gesturing to the audience that she knew they were watching her. For this reason, the play does a remarkable job of infusing comedy with a functional sense. The production saves itself in this way from lethargic interludes where the audience is forced to watch for long periods of time while a stage crew moves the scenery. The ushers were also very organized and quick when moving the props, with only one obvious mishap, which was one of the ushers dropping the flashlight that was supposed to be attached to the chair acting as a seat in a car. However, the ushers and actors quickly reattached the flashlight and continued. Props were also used very creatively in this production. For example, a train and a car were made out of simple chairs, and an airplane and parade float were imagined from a large, metal stage prop.

The lighting and sound is utilized, as so many other aspects of the production, to help break the fourth wall, but as well as a technique to build dramatic tension and create the backdrop for certain scenes. The fourth wall is routinely questioned whenever any member of the cast mentions “the 39 steps”. Not only do the actors respond to this cue with strange facial expressions and movements, the lights zoom in farther on the two actors faces and ominous music plays. Instances such as these seem to respectfully mock the Hitchcock conventions before them, given that the characters always seem to be intimidated by “the 39 steps” even before they know it is something villainous. The lighting and sound can also at times be crucial in escalating the mood of a scene. As Mr. Hannay is attempting to escape the police on the train, the panning of the lights around the theater helped portray the excitement of the chase. The music played during this scene also adds to the tone of the chase by providing accompanying excitement. In another instance, the British national anthem is used to make Mr. Hannay’s speech more rousing. In one specific occasion, the sound choice, however, seems dated. As Mr. Hannay and Pamela draw closer to kiss, the sound of the record breaking is heard to separate them, and, by now, this convention is clichéd. Sound, especially, also adds to the plot development in some cases as well. At multiple times during the play, what sounds like a radio delivers stories about the murderer, helping Hannay figure his next course of action, and also compliments the murderer on his good looks, in another attempt to deliver more laughs. Lighting also displays plot occurrences, such as showing the outline of a man falling during the airplane scene to show that the pilot fell from the plane.

At the core of the play lies the text that the play is rested on. More so than the previous version by Hitchcock, the play has greater number of jokes interwoven into the plotline and greater room for comic hilarity since the characters interacting in the play are called to be played by four actors. The director chooses to open the play with grainy film credits, paying tribute to Hitchcock’s films, and Mr. Hannay retrospectively talking. From there, the sheet that the video is projecting upon, is lifted and Mr. Hanny is seated in the same armchair in the film, a very fluid introduction from opening cartoons mentioned earlier to the beginning of the live-action play. The director also keeps the pace of the play running smoothly and quickly, but always allows the frequently costume-shifting clowns time to change. The director additionally establishes mood well in most scenes, such as when fog is chosen to represent the dark forest Hannay is trudging through and the foreboding he must feel. The director’s choices of props are also interesting when considering their effect on the silliness of the play. At the director’s choice to strip props down to their minimum, the actors are forced to compensate by being more elaborate and allows the audience to use their imagination more, as with the plane and car.

Where the plane truly shines is the development of the characters by the actors who play them. In the end, much of the comedic appeal is thrust upon the actors’ shoulders, and in the situation of this play they balance the load with great poise. First of all, since the play occurs in Britain, all of the actors must perform in some form of a British accent at some point, and one of the actors must also put on a German accent for the role of Annabella. On top of this, the clowns must be constantly shifting accents based on the character they are playing, English for the constables and heavily Scottish to play the old man who has a pretty young wife. Not to mention just accents, the clowns must shift their characters between scenes. However, much of the humor is derived from the ridiculous characters that the two male actors must place themselves into. Despite the task they had at hand, the actors playing the clowns responded to the parts well and delve deeply enough into all of their individual characters so they are believable enough and comical. In one specific instance that shows off the clowns’ acting talents, they must shift within the train scene between two characters within a few lines of dialogue from each other by changing the hats they are wearing, forcing them to change voices and characters completely. The clothes that the clowns wear are very significant parts of who the characters are since the actors that play them are constantly on the stage as a different character. For example, once the coat of the German spy comes off in the hotel the actor goes back to being the doting wife of the hotel owner. The clothes can tell just as much about the personality of the character as the acting out of the character can. For instance, the beaten hat, clothes and white beard of the Scottish man show he is old and hardy. Also, the white uniform of the milkman shows that he is innocent and trusting. Overall, the main characters may not receive as many laughs but they play their part perfectly in allowing the clown characters to achieve the laughs they strive for. The part of Hannay is played well and the vocal patterns he uses that show he is charmed by himself and self-assured are well-conveyed to the audience. This attitude Hannay carries is also shown in the suits that he wears and the stylish way his apartment is furnished. All of this, accompanied by the way he talks, shows that he is a gentleman of some stock and standing. Annabella’s mystery is displayed by her exotic and seductive dress. Pamela on the other hand is shown to be a normal person caught up in a mess with the regular clothes an ordinary Englishwoman might wear.