John Buchan’s The 39 Steps reimagined for Lyndhurst Drama & Musical Society production

HAVING been enthralled by John Buchan’s The 39 Steps in my teens, I was pleased to see that Lyndhurst Drama & Musical Society were to put this on at the Vernon Theatre.

I arrived at the theatre full of excitement but was surprised and delighted at Patrick Barlow’s adaptation of the story. This followed the original gripping ‘spy story’ but added a clever comedic side.

The cast of five played over fifty parts, the only constant being the brilliant Vic Milne, sporting a stylish moustache (which he is pleased to demonstrate to the audience) as the intrepid hero, Richard Hannay, who becomes embroiled in a plot. He has to go on the run as a suspected murderer, meeting lots of people on his way.

Emma Davis first was the sensuous Annabella Schmidt who tells Hannay about the organisation she is trailing, The 39 Steps, who plan to take out of the country some stolen secret defence plans. There was a lovely scene as Hannay keeps looking at the two lugubrious spies standing under a lamp across the road – both magically appearing at the side of the stage every time he sneaked a look.

In the middle of the night she stumbles into Hannay’s lounge having been stabbed in the back and, to the music of Coronation Scot, Hannay rushes off to Scotland by train in a carriage with two underwear sales reps. Good scenes of everyone trying to squeeze past each other in the train carriage.

Chased by the two desperados who are passing off as policemen, to avoid capture Hannay embraces Pamela (Emma Davis), a young exasperated woman on the train, who promptly denounces him to the pursuers. Hannay jumps out onto the Forth bridge and is chased across the moor by the ‘policemen’ and an aeroplane, similar to Hitchcock’s North by North West.

Richard Barnett was commanding as the menacing German Professor Jordan, suspicious crofter Mr McQuarrie or garrulous bagpipe-playing Mr McGarrigle as well as other characters including a Christmas tree! Gemma Wilks was excellent as Mr Memory, the crofter’s wife Margaret from Glasgow, (a splendid scene as Hannay climbs through the window) and one of the bad-guys chasing Hannay, again, among others. Her final scene as Mr Memory was a death-scene to remember.

Hannah Rogers was very expressive as evil Mrs Jordan, warm and friendly Mrs McGarrigle, padded-up Sheriff, second desperado et al, including a baby. Brian Buck directed this fast-paced ripping yarn with simple props becoming a train or car by moving a few boxes or chairs.

I especially liked the problems of crossing a stile when handcuffed to another, the fake doors and window and the sound and light timing including deliberate miscues. Congratulations to Brian and Di Buck, Rob Davis and Andy and Deirdre Bennet in those departments.

A hilarious evening of skilled acting and organised chaos at its best to the joy of the sell-out audience.

Alison Smith