Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

After classes today, Allyson and I went to a matinee showing of “39 Steps”. The play has only four actors, but together they play 139 different characters. It is absolutely hilarious. The only character who remains constant throughout the play is Richard Hannay. The play starts with Hannay introducing his story. Hannay goes to a London theatre and watches a demonstration of the remarkable powers of “Mr. Memory”, a man with a photographic memory. Shots are fired, and the woman who fired the shots, Annabella Schmidt, convinces Hannay to take her back to his flat with him. At his flat, she tells him that she is a spy, and is being chased by assassins. She claims she has uncovered a plot to steal vital British military secrets. Hannay becomes involved in this sordid affair, when he wakes up the next day to find Miss Schmidt dead, stabbed with his own bread knife. He escapes and goes on the run, as the entire country searches for him. Plot thickens, stories intertwine, and suspense builds in this hilarious comedy. I loved every moment. It has become my second favorite show here in London (after Les Miserables). You must see it if you have the opportunity! (You especially must see it if you are familiar with Alfred Hitchcock films, because there are many puns and allusions to his films.)