"It's like a refreshing cold beer on a hot summer's day," said John Glenn, director of Company of Fools' production of "The 39 Steps." "It will make you laugh—it's smart, clever and witty and old-fashioned story telling."
"The 39 Steps" is a mix of a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel and part Monty Python humor. The off-Broadway hit was revitalized on Broadway, but not before Company of Fools secured the rights to produce the play for it's 15th anniversary as a theater company.
The show will feature Andrew Alburger, Jennifer Jacoby Rush, Richard Rush and Joel Vilinsky with set design by Joe Lavinge, stage management by K.O. Ogilvie and sound design by Ted Macklin. The play is based on the Hitchcock movie of the same name about a man with an uninteresting life who meets a woman from a foreign country who claims she is a spy. The man takes the woman home, and she is murdered. An organization called The 39 Steps goes on a manhunt to find the man, and it concludes in a death-defying finale.
"As people experience the show it will look effortless," Glenn said. "It's a great deal of effort to make it look effortless."
Cast members play numerous roles with only seconds to change costumes and characters, including several men acting as women. In addition, the set has lots of apparatus rolling off and on the stage to tell the story, including a shadow-puppet sequence.
"It's tongue and cheek," Glenn said. "Lots of Hitchcock characters and references are sprinkled throughout the production. We almost wonder if we should have a contest to see who can name all the references."
Glenn said the show is a dance with tremendous choreography and also includes many sound effects and Hitchcock film music.
"We approached the actors early on when we chose to do this play," Glenn said. "All four actors are very important to the company and thought it would be great for them to perform. The writing is so good and a great cast makes it very fun."
"The 39 Steps" will open with a Pay What You Feel preview night on Tuesday, July 6, at 7 p.m. The show will continue through Saturday, July 31. For a complete listing of dates and times, visit companyoffools.org or call 578-9122. Tickets are $28 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for students. Ticket prices do not include the Pay What You Feel preview night, 10 for $10 ticket options, Girlfriends' Night Out or Educator Nights.
Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com
Courtesy photo by Kirsten Shultz
Company of Fools presents “The 39 Steps” Tuesday, July 6, through Saturday, July 31, at the Liberty Theatre in Hailey.
