Review: THE 39 STEPS at Tipping Point Theatre Is A Hilarious, Fast-Paced Comedy!

The 39 Steps, playing now through March 8th at Tipping Point Theatre in Northville, is a hilariously challenging fast-paced comedy! Richard, an average English man, meets a mysterious woman that whispers secrets to him on her deathbed. Fleeing the country becomes his only hope for survival and solving the mystery of the 39 Steps. A parody of the 1915 novel by John Buchan and the 1935 film by Alfred Hitchcock of the same name, The 39 Steps mixes the thriller genre with humor in the style of Monty Python.

Tipping Point's production of The 39 Steps will keep the audience on the edge of their seat throughout the entirety of the performance. Perhaps the best thing about this script is the fast-paced at which events happen throughout the course of the play. There is hardly any downtime for the actors, as they are challenged with presenting many different character types and executing many different stage antics to make the comedy of this show land with the audience. I have seen this show performed previously, so I knew that the key to this show is the cast of actors gelling well together. All must have impeccable, well-rehearsed comedic timing to effectively execute the major plot points throughout this show. This cast of four actors worked very well together, and their timing and delivery was very fluid.

Andrew Papa plays the role of Richard Hannay very well. His physical energy alone while playing this role is noteworthy. With perfect facial expressions in key comedic moments throughout the show, it is very clear from the start the amount of preparation that Papa put in to prepare for this role. His English accent was spot-on and consistent throughout both acts-something that is not easy to do. Also notable was his onstage chemistry with his Sayre Fox, who played Papa's different love interests throughout the show. It seemed to me that these two had been acting opposite roles of each other for years. I hope to see Papa again soon. He is a true professional.

Wayne David Parker and Dave Davies play the role of Clown 1 and Clown 2 with incredible physical stamina and poise. They play very well off of each other, and truly had their timing and execution down pat. These two characters play many different roles throughout the show, and they weave in and out of these roles incredibly well. I was amazed at the fluidity of the character and personality changes Davies and Parker had as they switched characters. This was my first time seeing either of these two actors perform, and I was glad to have had the opportunity to see them rock both of these roles.

I would recommend The 39 Steps to anybody who is a fan of Monty Python or Alfred Hitchcock work. One thing is for certain, audiences will leave The 39 Steps full of laughter and amazement.

The 39 Steps is running now through March 8th at Tipping Point in Northville. For ticketing information, visit www.TippingPointTheatre.com or call the box office at 248-347-0003. Connect with Tipping Point Theatre on Twitter @TPTNorthville, Instagram @tippingpointtheatre, and on Facebook at facebook.com/tippingpointtheatre.

*Show information courtesy of Tipping Point Theatre.

To post a comment, you must register and login.