Wed 17th July - 2:00 Performance
Theatre Royal Nottingham - £20 Ticket, £2.50 Programme
Unfortunately for most of you, you will now have missed seeing the touring version of this show... However don't be sad! The show is still running on the West End for your Viewing Pleasure (until at least March 2014 I think) :D
The 39 Steps is a hilarious tongue in cheek spy/murder mystery ( featuring 4 Actors pulling off the epic task of portraying 139 roles over 100 minutes. One of the male actors remained as the same character all the way through, the female actor played three non-overlapping characters and the rest were done by the other two male actors. The character transitions were therefore required to be extremely swift and so there was a huge amount of hat swapping and a myriad of different accents to switch between at high speed. At one point they were even forced to swap characters with each other as they were required to play different characters in conversation with the same one, it was kind amazing.
The set for the show was relatively simple as most of the scene changes were quite obviously and mockingly done by the actors. For example: there is a part where the two villains are waiting outside the lead characters house under a lamppost, as he goes to glance out the window they run on stage with the lamppost, put it down and stand under it, then when he stops looking they run off with it again. The simplicity of the set also enabled flexibility in location, for example: transitioning from a search of all the compartments on a train to running across the train roof.
The 39 Steps employs heightened physicality and slow motion as comedic tools. This lead to the funniest death scene that I have ever seen, Epicly cheesy "love at first sight" world freezing moments, hair (and coat raising) moments and a fall from a great height. Oh and a shadow puppet chase scene! :D
A quality and humorous show, check it out if you get a chance.
PS. My apologies for the late Bloggage, however I have been busy with a rehearsal weekend, people and house hunting. The next post may also be a little late as I will be out of the country, though I will try to write something up and schedule it to post itself on Sunday (no promises though).
The 39 Steps
The set for the show was relatively simple as most of the scene changes were quite obviously and mockingly done by the actors. For example: there is a part where the two villains are waiting outside the lead characters house under a lamppost, as he goes to glance out the window they run on stage with the lamppost, put it down and stand under it, then when he stops looking they run off with it again. The simplicity of the set also enabled flexibility in location, for example: transitioning from a search of all the compartments on a train to running across the train roof.
The 39 Steps employs heightened physicality and slow motion as comedic tools. This lead to the funniest death scene that I have ever seen, Epicly cheesy "love at first sight" world freezing moments, hair (and coat raising) moments and a fall from a great height. Oh and a shadow puppet chase scene! :D
A quality and humorous show, check it out if you get a chance.
PS. My apologies for the late Bloggage, however I have been busy with a rehearsal weekend, people and house hunting. The next post may also be a little late as I will be out of the country, though I will try to write something up and schedule it to post itself on Sunday (no promises though).
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