THE 39 STEPS at Richmond Theatre

★★★★★

“Always tongue-in-cheek, the show is thrillingly funny and villainously clever”

Sometimes a good – and fun – way of gauging a show’s reception is to listen in to people’s conversations at the interval. In the plush surroundings of Richmond Theatre’s bar, a recurring comment was along the lines of ‘it’s a bit like Operation Mincemeat’. So, first things first. It isn’t. The correct comparison is ‘Operation Mincemeat’ is a lot like ‘The 39 Steps’. The latter predates the former by a couple of decades at least. The most striking comparison, though, is the implausible ability to take a fairly serious subject and turn it into comedy without losing its essence; and to do so with a very small cast that cover a multitude of characters.

Patrick Barlow’s “The 39 Steps” has just four actors playing over 150 characters. Originally written by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon it premiered in 1996. Barlow rewrote the script in 2005, staying faithful to the small-scale structure but taking it on its large-scale journey to the West End where it stayed for nine years. Inevitably it travelled across the pond where, on Broadway, it was originally given the title ‘Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps’. Barlow’s adaptation draws as much – if not more – on Hitchcock’s 1935 film as it does on John Buchan’s 1915 novel. His inspired comic treatment of the story has turned the play into a timeless classic.

Tom Byrne brilliantly plays the unwitting and hapless hero, Richard Hannay. With cut glass accent and even sharper precision in his depiction of a comedic matinee idol. Drawn into a mad, cat-and-mouse journey that takes him from London to the remote Scottish coastline and back again, he is pursued by both the police, and a band of dangerous spies who are conspiring to steal secret documents from the Foreign Office. Safeena Ladha is a delight as all three of Hannay’s love interests; the doomed Annabella (who kickstarts the whole adventure for Hannay before perishing in his arms); returning to the stage as Scottish farmer’s wife, Margaret; and also popping up throughout as Pamela, the archetypal ‘will-they-won’t-they’, ‘love-hate’ heroine. Every single other role is covered by Eugene McCoy and Maddie Rice, often playing many roles in the same scene. Their comic timing is flawless throughout and the character changes jaw-droppingly swift.

Maria Aitken’s staging is deceptively stripped back and simple. The whole show is like a conjuring trick. Sleight of hand scene changes and ingenious use of props and costume evoke mood, location; suspense and relief, all in quickfire succession. It is almost like a play within a play. Not only are we watching the story unfold, but we are also witnessing this crazy quartet of actors attempt to carry off the improbable feat (and quite rightly they bring on the formidable backstage crew at curtain call whose stress levels during the last couple of hours must have been tripping the fuse).

Always tongue-in-cheek, the show is thrillingly funny and villainously clever. References to all Hitchcock’s films are scattered throughout the dialogue, the titles name-dropped and represented visually and musically. Even Hitchcock himself has a cameo role, albeit in shadow puppet form. The detail is subtle yet obvious at the same time. You can be forgiven for missing some of the jokes due to the sheer pace of the production. A pace that appears chaotic and improvised but is, in fact, precisely disciplined and choreographed. Successfully crossing the line between suspense and comedy, and between realism and parody, is a master’s skill. These four actors have it. “The 39 Steps” is a ‘must see’, whether you’re a fan of thrillers or comedies. Or both. Or even neither.

THE 39 STEPS at Richmond Theatre as part of UK Tour

Reviewed on 4th April 2024

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Mark Senior

Best shows in March 2024:

THE LONELY LONDONERS | ★★★★ | Jermyn Street Theatre | March 2024

FOR BLACK BOYS WHO HAVE
CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE HUE GETS TOO HEAVY | ★★★★ | Garrick Theatre | March 2024

BLUE | ★★★★ | Seven Dials Playhouse | March 2024

GUYS & DOLLS | ★★★★★ | Bridge Theatre | March 2024

POLICE COPS: THE MUSICAL | ★★★★ | Southwark Playhouse Elephant | March 2024

HIDE AND SEEK | ★★★★ | Park Theatre | March 2024

APRICOT | ★★★★ | Theatre503 | March 2024

IN CLAY | ★★★★★ | Upstairs at the Gatehouse | March 2024

HOSTAGE | ★★★★ | Etcetera Theatre | March 2024

ASSEMBLY HALL | ★★★★★ | Sadler’s Wells Theatre | March 2024

PRISCILLA THE PARTY! | ★★★★★ | HERE at Outernet | March 2024

MIND MANGLER | ★★★★ | Apollo Theatre | March 2024

BREEDING | ★★★★ | King’s Head Theatre (new) | March 2024

DON’T. MAKE. TEA. | ★★★★★ | Soho Theatre | March 2024

THE DREAM OF A RIDICULOUS MAN | ★★★★ | Marylebone Theatre | March 2024

THE DIVINE MRS S | ★★★★ | Hampstead Theatre | March 2024

AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN

Click here to see our Recommended Shows page

★★★

“The show moves at a good pace, and it’s steeped in moody sound and stage effects”

Actor James Gaddas doesn’t lack ambition. It’s not every established actor who would go to the trouble of adapting Bram Stoker’s sprawling novel Dracula, and turn it into a one man show. And yet Stoker’s nineteenth century horror story is eminently stageworthy. Dracula is not just a horror film classic. Stoker, was, after all, a successful theatre manager as well as an author. His writing is steeped in theatricality, and Dracula is no exception. The story is packed with all sorts of unforgettable theatrical moments, quite apart from the memorable characters. Gaddas’ adaptation of Dracula, assisted by director Pip Minnithorpe, with set and costume design by Lee Ward, and illusion designer John Bulleid, is a meticulous homage to Stoker’s classic. And it’s somehow appropriate that this tour should begin at the beautifully restored RIchmond Theatre, which opened the same year that Dracula was published. Bram Stoker would approve.

That said, there is also the sense that Gaddas doesn’t quite manage to tame his material, and wrangle it into one man show size. While Gaddas is shrewd enough to retain large amounts of the original text while taking on a variety of roles, he doesn’t quite trust Stoker’s story enough. Gaddas shows great versatility in playing male and female roles —ranging from American to Romanian — alive, dead, and undead. He has an engaging stage presence, and a loyal following among his fans. But he is not content to stop there. Gaddas’ adaptation of Dracula becomes more than just a retelling of a nineteenth epistolary novel. He adds on the story of an actor — himself — who is hired to host a twenty first century documentary about vampires. It’s the kind of television show that promises ghosts, ghouls and things that go bump in the night. Things get out of hand as Gaddas becomes gets too involved with his job. He gets obsessed with a mysterious journal that hints at more than Stoker’s original story. That Professor Van Helsing in Stoker’s novel may not have managed to destroy the vampire Count after all. Gaddas’ obsession with discovering the truth in the legend brings him to the brink of insanity — not unlike the character Renfield in the original Dracula. This embellishment to the original tale does allow Gaddas to bring it firmly into the twenty first century, and add some charming, self-deprecatory laugh lines. But the add on also detracts from the horror of Stoker’s novel. Which, for Dracula, is sort of the point.

Nevertheless, this version of Dracula remains a good evening’s entertainment. The show moves at a good pace, and it’s steeped in moody sound and stage effects. The set design is almost too cluttered — more suited to an incident room in a television police drama series. It does allow for the set designer and illusion designer to spring a few shock moments on the audience as the show proceeds however. Gaddas himself holds the attention whether he’s chilling your blood as a vampire, or wondering why, as an actor immersed in his research, his wife has taken to sleeping in the spare bedroom. This Dracula is a different take on horror, and is well suited to an actor of Gaddas’ range. It is less frightening than sitting at home alone, reading Bram Stoker’s novel, but for family audiences, that can only be a good thing.

Reviewed by Dominica Plummer

THE 39 STEPS at Richmond Theatre

★★★★★

“Always tongue-in-cheek, the show is thrillingly funny and villainously clever”

THE 39 STEPS at Richmond Theatre as part of UK Tour

Reviewed on 4th April 2024

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Mark Senior

Best shows in March 2024:

AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN

AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN

Richmond Theatre

Reviewed – 27th March 2022

★★★

“The show moves at a good pace, and it’s steeped in moody sound and stage effects”

Reviewed by Dominica Plummer

Dracula

Richmond Theatre

Recently reviewed by Dominica: