Saturday, May 22, 2010

39 Steps play


I want to thank my cousins for taking me to watch one of the best plays I have ever seen. I recently watched the play 39 Steps directed by Maria Aitken. It is adapted from Alfred Hitchcock's film The 39 Steps. The play carries the mystery and drama as the good old Hitchcock puts into his films but the play adds lots of great witty comedy and it takes your imagination to a whole other level that you never thought it could go!
The play only has 4 actors and they all play many different characters, most of them at one time! They use very limited amount of props, but that is where your imagination kicks into full gear and takes you into their world. Someone who just entered the theater might just see 4 people sitting on some boxes rocking back and forth, but to the viewers in the crowd watching, the whole stage has transformed into a full on train with windows, rooms, and seats. They see that the speed of the train racing on the tracks is naturally rocking these characters back and forth as they sit or try to walk around. Instead of 4 actors they see 6 different characters all at once trying to catch the protagonist, Richard Hannay, as he leads them on a thrilling police chase as they run and jump from one train car to the next.

It was indeed, surprisingly, a very awesome play. I really did not expect this at all and did not know anything at all about The 39 Steps. If this play comes around where you are, you should definitely check it out. This is a play that is very underrated and should have more Tony Awards.

I watched it in LA at the Ahmanson Theater and the cast info is below. Unfortunately, they are no longer in Los Angeles anymore but I think they still have one more show left on their tour schedule in Baltimore, Maryland. Check it out if you are in that area!
http://www.centertheatregroup.org/tickets/productiondetail.aspx?id=11286

Official link:
http://www.39stepsny.com/about.html

Here is the link to watch the original Alfred Hitchcocks film
http://www.archive.org/details/The39Steps

2 comments:

Ally Jay said...

Sounds like a well performed play.

Fruit Floes said...

it was i loved it!!!!