THE 39 STEPS. To 20 August.
Tour.
THE 39 STEPS
by John Buchan adapted by Patrick Barlow from a concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon.
Tour to 20 August 2005.
Runs 1hr 45min One interval.
Review: Timothy Ramsden 21 July at Oxford Playhouse.
The play of the film, taken from the book, delivers goods of its own.This adaptation of John Buchan's derring-do spy novel first toured village halls, where its sheer impossibility might well have succeeded. By the time it reached repertory theatres, the point was lost but Patrick (National Theatre of Brent) Barlow's involvement has smartened the act significantly for this West Yorkshire Playhouse/ Firery Angel production. It will never replace John Buchan's novel but it's fun and (there were several youngish children in Oxford's audience) has a fair measure of suspense for someone new to the plot.
Not that it's about the novel. This looks back to Alfred Hitchcock's updated 1935 film with Robert Donat as the square-jawed all-English hero Richard Hannay, pursuing international spies while pursued himself by the police on suspicion of murder, and Madeleine Carroll as the necessarily glamorous blonde forcibly teamed with him in later stages.
Hitchcock ditched the point of the title, being less interested in plot logic than cinematic set scenes, which he certainly provided with the popular entertainer Mr Memory and his signature tune, not to mention such moments (given a droll humour here) as Carroll's Pamela removing wet stockings while handcuffed to an honourable, yet clearly fascinated Hannay.
The beauty of this version is that, like all Barlow's small-scale epics, it includes manic moments, one actor swirling round to be both spy and hotelier in conversation with themself, and others of strangely gripping seriousness. Barlow never loses the plot in the theatricality, and director Fiona Buffini respects this mood-mingling in her production, which neither hurries nor lets up in pace.
Robert Whitelock has the courage and determination of Donat's Hannay without the accompanying irony, while Lisa Jackson recreates Carroll's stubborn annoyance. But the heart of the adaptation, for all the staging's fun (stepladders for the Forth Bridge, shadow-play of police aircraft) is the multiple role-playing of Mark Hadfield and Simon Gregor. Both maintain the necessary seriousness, whether cross-dressing or taking on several hats in a few seconds, while Gregor catches the pathos that makes Hitchcock's Mr Memory so memorable himself.
A piece like this is essentially a one-joke show. But Barlow, Buffini and their cast keep the joke going with variety and skill.
Compere/Heavy/Milkman/Underwear Salesman/Paperboy/Policeman/Radio Announcer/Pilot/Professor/Sheriff/Master of Ceremonies/Mr MacIntosh/Detective Superintendent Albright: Mark Hadfield.
Mr Memory/Heavy/Mrs Higgins/Underwear Salesman/Policeman/Porter/Paperboy/Crofter/Pilot/Mrs Louisa Jordan/Chief Inspector/Mr McQuarrie/Mrs MacIntosh: Simon Gregor.
Annabella Schmidt/Margaret/Pamela: Lisa Jackson.
Richard Hannay: Robert Whitelock.
Director: Fiona Buffini.
Designer: Peter McIntosh.
Lighting: Ian Scott.
Sound: Mic Pool.
Voice/Dialect: Jan Haydn Rowles.
2005-07-25 11:48:12