By Alayna Een and Eliza Een
The 39 Steps at the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City, UT, is a comedy you don’t want to miss. Patrick Barlow’s stage adaptation of the John Buchan novel and Alfred Hitchcock film bounces playfully between the mystery thriller and situational comedy genres. The story follows Richard Hannay, a middle-aged bachelor who is missing direction and intrigue in his life. This changes suddenly as he is roped into a dangerous spy mission, accused of murder, and forced to run from enemy agents. A goody-two-shoes woman named Pamela gets tied up with the fugitive Hannay and the two develop an unlikely romance as they rush to unravel the mystery of the 39 Steps before it’s too late. Perhaps the most impressive and comedic aspect of the play is its four-member cast, filling the stage with split-second quick changes (credit to costumer Matthew Pedersen) and creative characterizations that keep the audience laughing the whole way through.
Set to look like the backstage of film set, the stage is full of standard props that are cleverly adjusted to meet the needs of the scene: suitcases for railway cars, a sideways podium for an automobile, and a held picture frame for a window. The scrappy cleverness of the makeshift elements pairs with brilliant lighting by Claire Chrzan to create action scenes that are both shockingly effective and comical, with the train escape scene as an audience favorite. All of the characters safely navigate complicated steps and obstacles throughout the action onstage, thanks to the great care and planning of director Aaron Galligan-Stierle and fight and intimacy director Jason Spelbring.
Tom Coiner portrays the protagonist, Richard Hannay, and is the only actor onstage who sticks to one role. Coiner plays the reluctant hero trope to full comedic affect and hits the nuance of being both a bit of a ladies’ man and a morally upright person. His round voice adds humor and depth to his lines and helps make him an excellent lead. Our leading ladies are all played by Tracie Lane (Annabella/Margaret/Pamela), who performs some impressive feats of physical comedy with her statuesque ability to play a stiff. Lane’s Pamela is fiery and indignant but also sincere in admitting her failings, and her facial expressions and responses are especially fun to watch.
The remarkable comedic duo of Michael Doherty (Clown 1) and Bailey Savage (Clown 2) make up the rest of the characters throughout the show. Their delightful partnership is easy and allows for playfulness between the action that creates genuine opportunities for laughs, especially when portraying the couple at the inn. Their performance of Doherty’s original song “Kitty, I Love Her So” is an excellent example of this, where the audience gets easily caught up in their inside jokes. Doherty’s endless improv makes every show unique and elicits fresh laughter from the audience. Savage’s performance of Mr. Memory is humorous at first and downright impressive at the end, as she manages to make even the recital of a complex mathematical formula into a comedic bit.
The 39 Steps was featured in the USF’s 2010 season and has been steadily requested to return ever since. This family-friendly crowd favorite is directed by one of the actors from the 2010 run, which makes for a heightened and polished production that unifies the best elements of theatre. So step in line to get your tickets for an unforgettable show with The 39 Steps at the Utah Shakespeare Festival!
Utah Shakespeare Festival presents The 39 Steps by Patrick Barlow.
Randall L. Jones Theatre, 35 S 300 W, Cedar City, UT 84720
Plays on select dates until October 5, 2024, 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM
Tickets: $30–85
Contact: 435-586-7878 or 1-800-PLAYTIX
Utah Shakespeare Festival Facebook Page
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