PCPA should run a disclaimer for audiences at its latest presentation, The 39 Steps: “Warning. Possible risk of whiplash.”
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. The play is actually exciting, like a roller coaster or fast-paced carnival ride. There are moments of witty dialogue, incredibly funny on-stage costume changes, and unbelievable situations. The laughs come in dizzying succession. You won’t know whether to laugh out loud or hang on so you don’t miss the next thing.
The suspenseful romantic-comedy is based on the 1935 movie by Alfred Hitchcock, with brief hints of the original novel by Scottish author John Buchan, on which the movie was loosely based. The plot presents Richard Hannay (Andrew Philpot), a suave, Canadian bon vivant who has a brief entanglement with secret agent Annabella Smith (Stephanie Philo). She informs him of agents smuggling vital British military secrets, and later she’s murdered in his flat.
The play picks up tempo from there, racing at a frenetic pace. This is where the message in the story gets a little lost. The play asks, “How do I stand alone and make good in the world?” according to Director Mark Booher. Yet it’s hard to keep that question in mind with so much impressive skill on stage. The cast of four represents more than 100 characters, often necessitating costume changes in front of the audience. This is where the play shines.
The cast is able to smoothly—and often with spot-on comedic timing—go from one character to the next and back again, all the while not missing a beat in the lightning-fast dialogue.
Philpot plays the hero well by adding a bit of vulnerability. Caught up in trying to stop the mysterious secret from being smuggled out of the country, he finds a reason to “look after the world.”
Philo plays three women’s roles: Annabella, Pamela, and Margaret. She has great comedic timing, which shows through in both her wit and physical comedy.
The entire cast is brilliant, but particular kudos have to go out to Peter S. Hadres and Evans Eden Jarnefeldt, credited as simply Clown 1 and Clown 2. They play the rest of the characters in the play, and they don’t miss a beat in the story’s breakneck pace. They change accents, costumes, and mannerisms in fractions of seconds.
Of course, compliments can’t go out about this play without crediting the ingenious work of the production staff, who enabled the characters to seamlessly transition from planes to trains to automobiles. Scenic Designer Kent Homchick, Lighting Designer Tamar Geist, and Stage Manager Christine Collins developed some creative ways to turn props into vehicles, or have a door leading inside flip to show itself from a new angle. Stagehands Tamara Chambers, Scott Fuss, Shae Palic, and Sean Peters helped in turning the stage into a bridge, and then a mansion, and then the London Palladium.
Costume Designer Juliane Starks made sure the costumes allowed for quick changes and instantly distinct characters with the switch of a hat or flip of a coat. Sound engineer Elisabeth Rebel was responsible for flawlessly executing the more than 100 sound cues to create the story’s cinematic experience.
The 39 Steps is a hilarious ride that shows off the amazing skills of this gem of a group called PCPA Theaterfest.
Arts Editor Shelly Cone wears many hats. Contact her at scone@santamaria sun.com.
This article appears in Feb 17-24, 2011.