John Buchan’s THE 39 STEPS – memorably filmed by
Alfred Hitchcock in 1935 – has been a huge hit on the
London stage and now comes to the United States to take the stage at the
Huntington Theatre in Boston.
The show actually sticks closely to Hitchcock’s celebrated 1935
screen version of the tale, which itself introduced a sly humor and
sexiness to the chaste and earnest original book. This means that when
Buchan’s intrepid hero Richard Hannay goes on the run after being
falsely accused of murder, he famously ends up handcuffed to a beautiful
woman as he dodges the police and an international spy ring across the
Scottish moors. Literally nothing has been cut from this HILARIOUS AND SPECTACULAR
version of this spell-binding thriller – legendary scenes include THE
CHASE ON THE FLYING SCOTSMAN, THE ESCAPE ON THE FORTH BRIDGE, THE FIRST
THEATRICAL BI–PLANE CRASH EVER STAGED, THE RATHER PROVOCATIVE ‘BEDROOM’
SEQUENCE and the death-defying (or nearly!) FINALE AT THE LONDON
PALLADIUM!
The 39 Steps Summary:
This classic British thriller was one of Alfred Hitchcock's first major
international successes, and it introduced a number of the stylistic and
thematic elements that became hallmarks of his later work. Richard
Hannay, a Canadian rancher on vacation in England, attends a music
hall performance by "Mr. Memory." In the midst of the show, shots
ring out and Richard flees the theater. Moments later, a terrified woman
begs Richard to help her; back at his room, she tells him that she's a
British spy whose life has been threatened by international agents
waiting outside. Richard is certain that she's mad until she reappears
at his door in the morning, near death with a knife in her back, a map
in her hand, and muttering something about "39 Steps." Discovering that
a group of thugs are indeed waiting outside, Richard slips away and
takes the first train to the Scottish town on the dead woman's map.
Richard learns that he's now wanted by the police for murder, and he
must find a way to clear his name. He begins trying to do so with the
help of a woman he meets en route, Pamela, who serves as his unwitting
assistant, even after she tries to turn him in.
Charles Edwards – This
English actor received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Richard
Hannay in the London West End production of “The 39 Steps.”He has been seen in the films “An Ideal Husband” with Rupert
Everett and Cate Blanchett, “Mansfield
Park,” “Batman Begins,” and stars in the upcoming
UK film “The All Together” with Martin
Freeman.
Jennifer Ferrin – is an Emmy
Award-nomated actress (Best Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama and
Best Younger Actress in a Daytime Drama) who landed a role on CBS’s “As
The World Turns” (Jennifer Munson), immediately after graduating from
the North Carolina
School of Arts.A regular on series television,
Ferrin starred in the acclaimed miniseries “The Kill Point” with Donnie
Wahlberg and John Leguizamo.
Cliff Saunders –
Toronto-based Saunders is a film and
television actor with numerous credits in the
U.S. and
Canada.He played
the Stage Manager in the award-winning film version of the musical “Chicago,”
as well as in such American television “Monk,” the “Eloise” movies and,
fittingly, a 1988 episode of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.”
Maria Aitken is the
acclaimed British actress and director.She played
leading roles at the
Royal
Shakespeare Company, the
Royal
National Theatre and the
Old Vic,
and has starred in more Noel Coward plays in London’s
West End
than any other actress. She has produced a series of acting master
classes for the BBC, one of which was her own High Comedy class.Recently, Aitken has focused on directing, having helmed the
award-winning London
production of “The 39 Steps.”