Review: THE 39 STEPS at Theatre Three
You only need ONE step (into the theatre) to enjoy all 39
Described as a concoction of a legendary master of intrigue, Alfred Hitchcock, and an institution as defining of British culture as the BBC, Monty Python, “The 39 Steps,” combines irreverent humor and sultry scheming.
Playing at Theatre Three this spring, “The 39 Steps” is a foray into detective skills and physical comedy that will bring audiences to belly laughs and wire thin concentration.
Christine Boehm’s vision for the show was realized in the atmospheric World War II era (actually pre-WW2) sleuth romp with a dynamic cast, cottage comfort set design, and frenetic pace of comedy.
Scenic Designer Randall Parsons created a clever set that lent itself beautifully for the multiple scene changes. The snug-like, elevated boxes on either side of the main stage communicated a good division of performance space.
Costume Designer, Ronald Green, III, chose an exquisite three-piece suit for the lead, Michael Limone as Richard Hannay, that fit into his sleek bachelor persona that would shop on Savile Row. The details for pieces like the Irish innkeeper’s cloak that bore no shine and flowed like a dear old treasured garment proved to be integral to the plotline and seamlessly developed characters. Also, the color scheme of the female characters, from the German spy’s black, to Margaret’s green, to Pamela’s blue, and to the Professor’s wife’s white stepped in as a type of allegory for the different kind of women. The black for the shaded, murky introduction of the German, Margaret’s green to speak of envy of a London Life, Pamela’s blue for adherence to the truth, and white for the later revealed eugenics of the Professor’s wife.
Lighting designer Steve Barile, Jr. and Sound designer, Tim Haggerty, wielded a coherent and supportive ambiance for the four actors as the crisp dialogue and nudging lights were like a fifth performer.
Michael Limone as Richard Hannay answered the question, “What if Tom Selleck (maybe with a dash of Andrew Schultz) played a proper English gent?” Limone certainly had the height and broad shoulders to be cast as Hannay, a British bachelor living in a swanky part of London, but his acting really made it hard to see any other Long Island actor be able to play the role not just capably, but extremely well. The accent work Limone must have conducted to land the Bentley boy voice with crisp enunciation and the air of the lecture hall in the character must have been substantial as it kept at that high-level throughout the play.
Ashley Brooke Curtis played all the female love interests of Limone’s Hannay and differentiated her characters beautifully, not just by the credible accents (that somehow were also still in the vaudevillian Monty Python style), but also in the more subtleties of manner. For Annabella, Curtis is forward and fawning, for Margaret wistful and longing, and for Pamela, annoyed and matter-of-fact. The handcuff scene with Curtis and Limone shackled to each other was brilliant physical comedy, in large part because of the refined reticence in Curtis’s reaction to the situation.
Jae Hughes and Dan Schindlar as the Clowns who play dozens of characters (there are 150 in total in this show) earned the biggest laughs from the crowd with their impeccable synchronization and ability to look farcical while being serious. In one scene, Hughes and Schindlar alternate between two characters each on a train distinguished only by hats. To keep the continuity of what is happening plot-wise, act in hilarity, and accent pacing, is a major feat and one that they accomplished with pizzazz.
“The 39 Steps,” was adventurous from the first line to the last smooch and everything in between satisfied your sweet tooth and funny bone.
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