ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S THE 39 STEPS onstage through 7/23 at Barter Theatre

Barter Theatre tops off its summer repertory with a limited run of Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps, running through July 23 in Abingdon, Virginia.

Who says you can't bring a full-length spy thriller to the stage? Who said you can't have "train chases, plane crashes, shadowy murders, beautiful spies, trilbied heavies, dastardly villains with little fingers missing, not to mention some of the most iconic moments in the history of cinema" - as the Broadway description depicts - certainly not playwright Patrick Barlow.
 
In his foreword to the script, Barlow writes, "This version is based on John Buchan's ground-breaking novel, Alfred Hitchcock's iconic movie and the exquisite idea of two Northern English writers Nobby Dimon and Simon Corble of doing the whole thing with just four actors."
 
In Barlow's stage adaptation, the hero, Richard Hannay, is played by one man (Nathan Whitmer) throughout. Pamela, Annabella and Margaret are played by one woman (Hannah Ingram) and all other parts - Barlow estimates a cool 250 - are played by two men (Sean Campos and Ben Mackel), appropriately called Clown 1 and Clown 2. Katy Brown directs.
 
"Nathan Whitmer is making a name for himself as Gaston in Disney's Beauty and the Beast," said Richard Rose, Barter Theatre's producing artistic director. "Hannah Ingram recently wowed audiences as the title character in "Evita" and numerous other Barter plays and musicals." 

Two of Barter's heavy-hitting comedians, Sean Campos and Ben Mackel play over 250 characters together to round out the all-star cast, Rose adds.

"Campos and Mackel have continually raised the bar and this show will leave audiences amazed at their comedic timing and versatility," he says.
 
At curtain, Hannay enters. He is bored. He is tired and bored. So what does he do? He pulls himself together to do something mindless, mindless and trivial - something utterly pointless. So off he goes to the theatre. Little does he know that this is going to be the start of an exciting adventure and the beginning of a new love affair.
 
"When a gun shot rings out in the middle of the theatre in the play, it is like the starting gun to a marathon in this high-paced, high-energy show," said Rose. "It truly is a roller-coaster ride/spy thriller. As soon as you think it is safe for a moment, up pops another emergency situation Hannay must handle."
 
When he finds himself handcuffed to an attractive young lady very unhappy about being drawn into this situation, will he convince her he lives a life of crime with his deplorable attitude or will he allow her see the real gentleman he is? Does the couple learn to work together or will this woman turn him in? Do they find out what, or who, "The 39 Steps" are in time to save the country? Most importantly, how does he survive that gunshot to the chest?
 
Also playing at Barter Theatre are Disney's Beauty and the Beast and Saving Old Smokey. Across the street at Barter Stage II, Circumference of a Squirrel and Elvis Has Left the Building are playing.
 
For tickets, reviews, patron comments and more information about Barter Theatre's summer repertory and the limited run of Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps, call Barter's box office at (276) 628-3991 or visit www.BarterTheatre.com.

Pictured: Sean Campos, Ben Mackel, Hannah Ingram and Nathan Whitmer. 

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