“I was bored. No, not bored — tired of my entire life.” These were the opening lines of the EUTC’s marvellous production of Patrick Barlow’s fast-paced comedy The 39 Steps, staged in the cosy, inviting atmosphere of the Bedlam Theatre. With only four actors performing more roles than should be humanly possible, Zephyrus Pettitt, Rishi Bhardwaj, Megan Downer, and Liliani Lynch keep the audience involved with the story of Richard Hannay from the first second.
Director Dani J. Bryant used classic British comedy techniques to replicate espionage mindgames of the 20th century, and leaked military secrets. The play showed how an innocent person can be involved in a high-stakes game quite quickly if they happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. As Hannay gets to the “Alt-na-Shellach” and uncovers the real intentions of Professor Jordon (Rishi Bhardwaj) he finds himself in new trouble.
Zephyrus Pettitt played a charming Richard Hannay, who was on his way to the mysterious place “Alt-na-Shellach” while being on police’s heels convicted in murder of Annabella Schmidt, a spy brilliantly played by Liliani Lynch. Lynch also played Pamela, a single woman who the main character runs into at the train station, and Margaret, a lovely woman Hannay meets in Scotland, whose empathy and compassion helps him run away from the police. An unforgettable tension was created between Pettit and Lynch, and their beautiful character dynamics bewitched the audience.
The narrative shifted from the spotlight of London theatre rather quickly. Megan Downer’s performance as an iconic Mr Memory — and the comedic genius of her pairing with Bhardwaj — had the audience roaring with laughter throughout the whole show. With most of the roles played by this duo, the play absolutely deserved the praise it has gotten due to their impressive character work. Despite the comedic nature of the play, intense scenes and plot twists kept the audience engaged and bedazzled.
Not only were dresses and hats frequently changed, but personalities and set pieces. Two moments that received the most laughs were when Pettitt was falling off the train, holding up the ladder, or when Bhardwaj held an evil laugh for longer than he should have. The outstanding performances created a comedy show of a very high standard, while exploring underlying themes of betrayal and political persecution.
The EUTC’s The 39 Steps is running at the Bedlam Theatre until Saturday 17 October. Buy tickets here.
Image by Emelia Auster, provided to The Student for press use.
