Review: 39 Steps

Printed in The Bolton News, Tuesday 14th June 2011

AFTER hearing rave reviews about productions at Bolton Little Theatre I had high expectations for The 39 Steps.

And my expectations weren’t met, they were exceeded.

With just four members in the cast I was curious about how the play would pan out. But as they ‘say good things come in small packages’ and with this adaptation of the John Buchan novel that certainly rang true.

The play centres around English chap and Casanova Richard Hannay’s (played by Mark Leigh) frantic and action-packed time on the run after mysterious Annabella Schmidt (Steph Shipley) is murdered in his London home.

The drama is perfectly pieced together by the two clowns (John O’Connell and Kevin Shipley) who between them had more costume changes and accents than I could count. With their instant changes the four strong cast could have pulled off a cast of 50.

Particular favourites were transformations of a spy to a sheep and a policeman to a train conductor.

It would be unfair and too difficult to single anyone out as they all hit the nail on the head.

But a special mention without a doubt deserves to go to the crew backstage who managed to take the audience on the journey from London to Scotland. The set included boats, a train, a car and some planes. And that is without even mentioning the dogs on leads, car headlights on the clowns’ legs and the puppets – you name it had already been thought of.

Set in the lead up to The First World War the many costumes were traditional but the production even had a touch of modern with some 90s chart toppers and some 4D effects weaved in for the crowd.

The busyness of the show was griping enough for the audience but the dry and somewhat schoolboy humour throughout was priceless.

The only thing I would like to have seen was more information about was Bolton’s unsung stars in the programme – Alfred Hitchcock and John Buchan have had their time to shine let’s hear more about some of Bolton Little Theatre’s finest.

An extra night has been put on due to the demand and let’s hopes every seat is deservingly filled.

Unsurprisingly, at some points you could see members of the cast breaking into a sweat – they truly gave it their all.

Having never read the book of The 39 Steps I am now unsure whether I want to in case it doesn't meet the bar now set.

BLT Spy Comedy Coup hits the Paper

Theatre celebrates spy comedy coup

From the Bolton News, Sunday 19th September 2010.

BOLTON Little Theatre is celebrating after becoming the first amateur theatre in the country to be granted the rights to perform the classic spy comedy, The 39 Steps.

Five years ago, Bolton Little Theatre member Mark Leigh saw the adaptation of The 39 Steps on its pre-London tour and immediately saw it as a potential hit for the amateur company. However requests to the producers for permission to perform the play resulted in refusals as professional versions were being staged all over the world, including on Broadway and in London.

Undeterred, Mark persisted, and his hard workpaid off when the theatre was given permission to stage the show next year.

Mark said: “This is a real coup for Bolton Little Theatre. The show is still running in London and all over the world, but the audiences at Bolton Little Theatre will be able to see it on their doorstep.”

The show is based on the 1935 thriller film of the same name, which was directed by Albert Hitchcock. It centres around a man who finds himself accused of the murder of a counter-espionage agent, and who must stop a spy ring from stealing top secret information while simultaneously trying to clear his name.

John O’Connell, who won the Best Actor trophy at this year’s BATS awards for his role as Alec in Brief Encounter, will be taking on the role of the policeman.

He said: “I am really looking forward to the challenge. We have already had some fun taking photographs of us in the scenes.”

The show will also star Mark Leigh, and married couple Steph and Kevin Shipley.

The four actors will between them play 139 characters, and director Andrew Close has promised all the famous scenes from the film, including the escape on the Forth Bridge, and a deathdefying finale on the stage of the London Palladium. The comedy element was introduced when it was adapted for the stage in 2005.

The show will run from June 11 to 18 next year. Tickets cost £9 and are available now from theAlbert Halls Box Office or by ringing 01204 334400.