REVIEW

THE 39 STEPS

Weymouth Pavilion

A THRILLER featuring a mystery woman who is murdered, well, that is what we expected but this production by Weymouth Drama Club is actually a madcap comedy that keeps the audience roaring with laughter throughout the whole evening.

John Buchan’s famous novel takes centre stage but with Alfred Hitchcock’s film firmly in charge, the play focuses on the adventures of Richard Hannay as he travels from London to Scotland in a series of scenarios that include climbing the Forth Bridge and visiting sundry Scottish residences where the locals join in the fun as our handcuffed hero tries to escape a bunch of dastardly villains.

The excellent cast of 11 talented actors take on a variety of roles as they grapple with the mystery in this clever adaptation which is played out on an empty stage where a couple of ladders and a few chairs and boxes are transformed into trains, cars and even an aeroplane, thanks to the inspired direction of Richard Lawson who makes the whole production innovative and stimulating.

In the leading role as Hannay, Tom Marsh is quite simply the best as he brings into the action both reality and slapstick comedy in his search for the truth while Gemma Higgins is not one but three lovely heroines who help to keep the story skimming along at a rattling pace.

Other notable performances come from Peter Hutton, Paul Gorsuch and Rob Tripp, who take on more than a dozen roles between them ranging from milkman to pilot and policeman to memory man, all of them adding to the pace and rollicking style of this comedy thriller.

There is a final performance tonight at 7.30pm and with background music reviving memories of other Hitchcock classic films, the audience is sure to enjoy a treat that never misses a beat.

MARION COX