Who knew suspense could be so funny?

Hitchcock’s 1935 thrilling spy mystery has been re-mastered into an engaging comedy that is quick on its feet.  Currently in production at the New World Stages, this adaptation of The 39 Steps is highly entertaining.  Every detail is ridiculously exaggerated in a way that leaves you laughing in stitches, from the performances to the props, even down to the very plot itself.

The play centers around a young Canadian bachelor named Richard Hannay who was framed for the murder of a mysterious woman, with a heavy accent, who claims to be a spy.  The woman’s dying words sends him on an adventure to to clear his name.  He flees the scene of the crime and begins to piece together the reason for her death — a wild goose chase between himself, the authorities, and the people who want him eliminated.  An array of unforgettable characters and surprise twists follow suit to keep the plot progressively moving forward while the four-man cast use their wit and athleticism to keep the mood silly and fun.

The play was a bit slow to start due to a lack of action, but once the play gained some momentum the theater exploded with laughter for the rest of the night.  The ensemble fed off each other’s energy, and although the focus was obviously on Richard and his love interest, the supporting actors who played the miscellaneous roles garnered much admiration for being able to perform multiple characters at the drop of a dime.  Often two or three roles would be played by the same actor in any given moment and they would never lose their timing to land a pun or some outrageous moment.  Also, the distinct accents that each actor used kept each character unique and true to the scenario, making fun of cultural differences.

Although The 39 steps is does not have the same elaborate set design as some of its Broadway rivals its off-Broadway productionit is full of whimsical low budget props.  A few random puppet shows and silly objects make the play more enjoyable relying mostly on the talent of its actors and plenty of costume changes.  In fact the actors used grand physical gestures to react to their environment.

If you love comedy and you love mystery you should check out The 39 Steps.
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Check out this video montage of The 39 Steps on Off-Broadway: