The 39 Steps

The Reduced Shakespeare Company, John Godber and any number of others have managed to create a whole new performing genre that really only needs a suggestion of a set, a few props and a ludicrously small cast taking multiple roles. Throw these things into the pot, and the stage is set for laugh a minute comedy. In truth this format is a lot more difficult that you think and, in my humble opinion, not all of Mr Godber’s efforts hit the spot, but, when it’s good (‘Teechers’ and ‘Shakers’) it’s very good. Having extended the cast of ‘Teechers’ from the usual three and pulled it off , I was fascinated to see if The King’s Lynn Players Drama Group could take this title (my favourite of this type) and do it the same way, and with the same results.

I saw The 39 Steps in Norwich on its way to the West End, and I saw it again when it arrived in London, and both times I laughed pretty much throughout. The script was funny, but the visual gags were endless and hilarious. Here I was at Springwood Drama Studio on the most uncomfortable seats in King’s Lynn with a pleasingly full auditorium and a sense of nervous excitement.

The set was …. well, mostly conceptual, with a lot riding on the computer generated graphics, but the stile, bed and sundry other appendages all looked good, and moved the story along nicely. Costumes were a bit variable with Richard Hannay, suave upper class English hero, looking like he had been clothed by Oxfam …. and on a tight budget, but lighting and sound were fine and all did the jobs they were expected to do. Of the supporting cast, there was good work from Simon Tarling, Stevie Brooks and Fiona Sweet, who was outstanding as one of the “Heavies”. Colin Davies turned in several excellent characterisations but was at his best as the Sheriff and the Milkman, with three superb offerings from extremely talented comedienne Alison Harmer as Mrs Higgins, Mrs Jordan and the side-splitting Mrs McGarrigle. I also enjoyed enormously an unexpected cameo from Jon Large that really defies description or explanation!

In the more prominent roles, Laura Beveridge did a good shift with two of the main parts, Annabella Schmitt and Professor Jordan, and Veronica Woods was completely excellent as a Salesman, a Crofter, Mr Dunwoody and Mr McGarrigle, showing how versatile she is even in a high comedy production. Aside from none of his clothes fitting him, Matt Austin was in fine form as “on the run” murder suspect and reluctant agent Richard Hannay, working well with all the elements of this extended cast. Solid with his lines and relaxed with his movements.

Penultimate paragraph honours were never in doubt, as outstanding Louise Rouse gave a masterclass in visual comedy. When everyone else was acting, she was putting on a one-woman comedy show that stole every scene she took part in. Her face never stopped working even when she had stopped speaking some time earlier, and it was the perfect performance/performances for this production.

My congratulations to Director, Carol Beveridge for a good night’s entertainment even if I didn’t think this piece worked as well as the large cast version of  ‘Teechers’. The excellent computer graphics (which were apparently flawless on future nights) were all over the place on this night and although there were many good, and a few great performances, it didn’t hang together like the professional productions I had seen. The first time I saw it I laughed non-stop, whereas this production caused me only three laugh-out-loud moments, one visual (the dog) one verbal (Bob’s your Uncle)  and one private, courtesy of the stage crew! The pace was significantly reduced and the comedy diluted by the lack of the many implausibly fast changes and shared costumes, so much so that, contrary to my previous recollections, the second half dragged a bit in places. This is such a big title and is currently again on stage in London  - I left Springwood High School perplexed, and as I spent the journey home trying to regain feeling in my buttocks, I wondered why it was not this Societies main play? and why was it not on at the Arts Centre?

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