With expert acting and smart directing, ‘The 39 Steps’ is a hilarious comedy that uses farce to its fullest capabilities.

The play is based on John Buchan’s 1915 novel and Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 film of the same name. Four incredibly dynamic actors take on the many roles comprising groups of characters, unlike the original film’s large cast. Also contradictory of the original film, the serious story of espionage and murder has become a series of hysterical, action-packed scenes.

Set in London and Scotland in the 1930s, the story centers around Richard Hannay and his misadventures with the law, spies and an ever-varying cast of characters that appear along his journey for vindication.

Hannay is self-described as an average single man who rents a humble flat in London. Falsely accused of murder, Hannay is on the run from the police, spies and vengeful assassins. The plot kicks into overdrive when he must keep a detrimental secret from being exposed. It is only at the end when the audience discovers the answer to the one question that had been a mystery the whole time: What really is ‘The 39 Steps?’

With such a complex and innately funny adaptation by Patrick Barlow, director Peter Amster had the huge undertaking of putting this play on at Syracuse Stage. With fast-paced timing and dialogue, Amster does a superb job of elevating the play to a level of humor that is much greater than anticipated.

Scene transitions are completely seamless with a minimalist set and prop use. Thankfully, this puts an extra focus on the performances of the actors. Scenic designer Linda Buchanan lends a great hand in executing this aspect. Praise must also be given to Tracy Dorman for providing beautiful costumes for each character.

The performances were what truly made the piece soar. Nick Sandys’ portrayal of Richard Hannay was nothing short of phenomenal. His comedic timing never lags, and his charm is undeniable. Every move made and word uttered was completely in character. Being the only actor who played one continuous part throughout the play, he had the luxury of focusing on only one mindset. However, his emotions came realistically, standing out in many scenes against actors playing various comedic roles.

Sarah Nealis, who portrayed Annabella Schmidt, Margaret and Pamela, had a masterful charisma and stage presence. Her characters were completely different in their characteristics, and Nealis embodied each of them precisely. Most notable was the accents for her characters, each of different nationalities.

The incredibly dynamic duo of Rob Johansen and Joe Foust, who play Clown 1 and Clown 2, respectively, round out the cast. These two fearless, highly skilled and rather shameless performers take on the responsibility of playing everyone else in the play. From spies to Scottish farmers to women, in some cases, these men completely commit themselves to even the smallest parts of the play. To say they stole the show would be an understatement.

What ‘The 39 Steps’ reminds us is that even when difficulties present themselves in life, it’s OK — and even therapeutic — to just laugh. Some things may seem impossible to endure, but nothing is impossible to overcome.

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Published on October 24, 2010 at 12:00 pm

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