Hitchcock-inspired comedy, a multi-role tester for actors

Four seasoned actors will be put through their paces, playing dozens of characters between them in the Globe Theatre’s madcap spy thriller comedy production. The 39 steps.

A parody play adapted from the 1915 novel by John Buchan and the 1935 film by Alfred Hitchcock, the four-act version of The 39 steps it was written by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon and rewritten into the current version by Patrick Barlow in 2005.

Directed by Rosemary Manjunath and starring Thomas Makinson as “rogue lover” Richard Hannay, Harriet Love as multiple love interests, and Brent Caldwell and Richard Ellis as the clowns, the Globe Theater production of The 39 steps it opens tonight.

Manjunath said performing the show was a mental and physical workout for the actors, who had to go through rapid changes in characters and costumes.

“There’s a lot of wordplay and physicality to keep the actors all engaged.

“It’s really a fast and furious comedy,” she said.

Although Makinson only has Hannay’s character to play, there’s no way he’ll be taking it easy as he bounces from one script to the next.

“This play is definitely a workout for me — by the end of the first act, I was really sweating,” he said.

Manjunath said that along with working on their performances for the show, the actors pitched in to help with backstage tasks as well, including painting sets and sorting props.

“It’s a busy time for theater in Dunedin at the moment, with several productions on the move – so it’s been difficult to find people able to help with the backstage work,” she said.

As the new chairman of the Globe Theatre’s board, Manjunath was keen to increase the number of people able to help with productions.

– The Globe Theatre’s production of Patrick Barlow’s The 39 Steps runs from 16-25 May – most performances at 7.30pm, Sunday matinees at 2pm.

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