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The 39 Steps: A Play (2009)

by Patrick Barlow(Favorite Author)

3.97 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0573697140 (ISBN13: 9780573697142)

languge

English

genre

Humor

publisher

Samuel French Trade

review 1: Being a big Alfred Hitchcock fan myself, I found this piece of comedy to be delightful. It is light-hearted enough to poke fun at the ultra-heightened drama of the typical Hitchcock film, while still staying true enough to the story to keep it within the confines of farce. Patrick Barlow takes every character in Hitchcock's original movie and doles them out to four actors. Some of the gags are written in, such as references to several Hitchcock movies, and some are left open to interpretation. Part of what makes this script (and ultimately, the production that comes from it) so successful is that there are endless possibilities to elaborate and compound the comic factor to suit the cast. I found The 39 Steps to be a pleasant, quick read with a lot of promise, leading... more me into my first production of the year with a confident smile.
review 2: "The 39 Steps" is a wildly popular, farcical romp of noir theatricality. After reading the script, I'm convinced that the magic is in the execution. The story is thin and dumb, but the conceit of having four actors flounce around the stage performing hundreds of different roles is nicely encapsulated in the writing. Hats off. There is no question that this play will become a staple of regional and educational theatre; it provides ample room for improvisation in casting, directing, acting and overall execution. It is a fun and silly romp that challenges the imagination of producers and directors. It is institutionally perfect. less

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