The Chapin Theatre Co.’s production of “The 39 Steps” is a comedic murder mystery not unlike that of Mel Brooks or Monty Python. Annabella (played by Jennifer Kraus) and Richard Hannay (played by George Dinsmore) perform early in the play. (Photos by Caleb Deaton/Carolina News & Reporter)
Residents in the Midlands looking for a good laugh should look no further than the Chapin Theatre Co.
The company began its showing of “The 39 Steps” on Oct. 4. It runs through Oct. 20 on Thursday and Friday nights. The show also offers matinees on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
The play is an adaptation of the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name, which itself was an adaptation of the original 1915 book by John Buchan.
The plot is set in 1935 and follows Richard Hannay, a Canadian on vacation in London, who is soon swept up in a plot that involves espionage, murder and a national security risk for the United Kingdom.
While the film is considered a great thriller from the 1930s, others saw the potential for a different take.
“I assume the playwright saw the movie and thought, ‘This is a good thriller, but it would make a great comedy,’” said director Frank Thompson. “A lot of the dialogue is directly from the movie, just played for laughs instead of straight.”
This theatrical version of “The 39 Steps” is a comedy quartet play, with a main actor, a main actress who plays three different characters and two supporting actors playing numerous roles. First adapted for the stage in 1995, the play has been performed in theaters and playhouses around the U.K. and United States.
“When we were looking at doing something creative that would highlight our new rear projection, … there’s no show better than this one,” company president Jim DeFelice said. “We love doing comedy here, and it’s (“The 39 Steps”) a great comedy.”
And while some may find comedy difficult to perfect, Chapin Theatre believes it has a winning formula.
“Once I had them cast, 99% of the work was done,” Thompson said. “I had four outstanding actors. I know them all personally. They play well together, so I just wound them all up and let them go.”
Lead actor George Dinsmore discussed a bit of the process behind the comedy.
“We talked before about whether he’d (Hannay) be a like a James Bond type of guy, and I didn’t feel like that was right,” Dinsmore said. “I thought he’d be more of a goofy guy with an awful sense of humor. And it’s just been a lot of fun doing it that way.”
Dinsmore also spoke about how the work of a character is more than just reading lines from a script.
“You can just say lines and it doesn’t really mean anything,” Dinsmore said. “You’ve got to find something behind each line and make them yours.”
Thompson and Dinsmore are both longtime members of Chapin Theatre, finding time between being an events manager for a catering company and the emcee of the Lexington County Blowfish respectively to show their love of theatre.
So far, that love has been reciprocated in audiences finding themselves seated for a roaring comedy.
“The reception has been quite good,” Thompson said. “We’ve had an excellent review. The audiences have laughed a lot. No one’s thrown tomatoes. It’s been a good time.”
Tickets for “The 39 Steps” can be purchased at the company’s website.
“We’re the best kept secret in the Midlands,” said DeFelice. “More and more people keep finding out about us, and audiences just keep coming out.”
In “The 39 Steps,” Richard Hannay, far right, must race against the clock to stop the plot against the United Kingdom and prove his innocence. He performs a scene with the two supporting actors, Ripley Thomas, left, and Julia Hudson, right, who play multiple roles in the show.
“The 39 Steps” is just one of many productions the Chapin Theatre Co. has put on over the past few decades.
Hannay is put through many trials in “The 39 Steps,” along with Pamela, to his left, who is at first an unwilling ally for Hannay.
The cast and crew of “The 39 Steps” prepare to take a bow after another successful night of performing.
