Categories: Reviews

The 39 Steps

 If you like a good English Murder Mystery, you will really enjoy The 39 Steps with it’sunique radio play experience.



Presented by: Nash Theatre Venue: Uniting Church, Merthyr Rd, New Farm (Brisbane) Saturday, March 5, 2011 If you like a good English Murder Mystery, you will really enjoy The 39 Steps with it’sunique radio play experience.
Reviving the Hey Day of the radio play from the 1930’s and 40’s is NASH Theatre’sadaptation of The 39 Steps by John Buchan. Complete with live sound effects andthe original Lux Soap sponsorship ads, this radio adaptation is a unique theatricalexperience.
At first you might think, ‘why put on a radio play in the theatre?’ But after watchingjust 5 minutes of the thriller, The 39 Steps, you will gain a new appreciation for thishistorical form of theatre. Apart from the logistics of setting a scene on a train orputting a car in the theatre that makes a radio play more achievable, it is more sothe theatrics of the sounds effects person (June A Balfour) that makes the genre soquaint. The sound effects not only enhance the play, but are a real highlight. It wasquite amusing watching June make various sounds from her array of objects on hertable. From creaking doors and stairs, to balloon bullets and cars. Who would havethought that pom-poms sounded so much like a train! They even had the audienceparticipation “applause” card to make us feel in on the act.
Standout performances were Rowan Chapman who played a charming RichardHannay. There were also some great accents played by all the other cast membersincluding a couple of perfect 1930’s radio voices.
NASH’s production of The 39 Steps was a refreshing surprise and thoroughlyenjoyable. A nostalgic journey back to the world of entertainment in the 1930’s and40’s. I would recommend you take that journey too. Bookings: Ph: (07) 3379 4775  or visit www.nashtheatre.com  Until 20 March 2011 

Anne-Marie Peard

Anne-Marie spent many years working with amazing artists at arts festivals all over Australia. She's been a freelance arts writer for the last 10 years and teaches journalism at Monash University.

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