Theatre One and First Impressions Theatre will present a noir comedy that satirizes Alfred Hitchcock films.
The 39 Steps, a parody play adapted from the 1915 novel by John Buchan and the 1935 film by Alfred Hitchcock, will be presented Dec. 5-7 at Malaspina Theatre.
“It’s really a spoof, in the best manner of the word, of the Hitchcock film genre and also kind of pokes fun at making theatre and for anybody who has been to the theatre, knows the theatres – they’ll find some humour there relating to putting on a play,” said Claude Giroux, co-director of the play and artistic director of First Impressions Theatre. “Most of the play is done in a way that looks like the actors have just picked up bits and pieces sitting around the theatre and are using those pieces to recreate the world of the play so that ladders become a bridge and steamer trucks turn into a train – the steamer trucks also double as a bed and a desk and a car … so it is very inventive in that particular way.”
Throughout the play, four people play the role of 150 characters. There is a male and female lead, as well as two characters Giroux calls “clowns,” who each play about 50 roles.
Giroux said the play is a big undertaking for First Impressions Theatre and it is one he has wanted to put on for awhile. He said he waited until he felt the group was ready to tackle the technical challenge of it.
The play includes more than 180 sound cues, about 150 light cues and 90 projections, he said.
“It moves very, very quickly from one sequence to the other. In its heart and mind, it’s a chase or a road movie within a play. It’s very cinematic in the way that it moves through the story.”
The 39 Steps will be at Malaspina Theatre starting on Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. The first show will allow audiences members to pay what they want. It will also be shown on Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. Reserved seating tickets can be purchased on TheatreOne’s website, by calling 250-754-7587 or at the door.
