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39 Steps Big on Humor
Broadway comedy-thriller proves that acting is imagination
The 39 Steps on Broadway
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When viewing a play it is easy to get lost in the glitz and glamour of the lavish sets, flashing lights and endless array of actors tramping across the boards. But what if a play were stripped of all of this? What if the words on the page were limited to the creativity of a few sparse set pieces, specifically chosen lighting and just four actors? Such is the case in the outrageously creative and funny The 39 Steps.
The plot line—based on the Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name—centers around a bored London man who unwittingly becomes embroiled in an international spy chase filled with espionage, murder and double-crossing. But as serious as all of that sounds, The 39 Steps peppers its dramatic source material with physical comedy, creative word play and an ability to poke fun at the story itself. The result is truly one of the most entertaining shows on Broadway.
Perhaps most impressive is the fact that the multitude of characters seen in the show (more than 100) are played by just four actors. Sean Mahon’s Richard Hannay is charming, and he knows it. His portrayal of the British cad found throughout the literature and films of the 1930s is spot-on and acts as a perfect foil to both his female lead and the two men playing everything from his enemies to his milkmen. Those men, Jeffery Kuhn and Arnie Burton are absolutely delectable. Their prowess as physical comedians is hefty and their ability to transition smoothly from character to character is jaw-dropping. Jill Paice serves as the only female in the cast and is as adept at the innocent ingénue as she is the sexy vamp.
The glory of the small cast hat trick is in its existence as a non-factor. The audience is always acutely aware of the fact that there are only four cast members, in fact the play uses this fact to its advantage, poking fun and using it as an inside joke. But the show is not reliant on the trick itself. The character changes are so seamless that individual actors may as well have played the parts. The show packs just as much punch as—if not more than—its counterparts with more actors, props and set pieces.
The 39 Steps is showing at the Helen Hayes Theatre Monday through Sunday. Ticket information and additional details can be found at 39stepsonbroadway.com.