39 Steps

H and I have been on a roll lately, in terms of exploring the world beyond the four walls of our apartment. We are trying to reverse the degeneration of our socializing skills, and by we I mean, me. Under the present circumstances, I still exhibit recluse-esque behaviour which will not bode well for me when it's time to go back to school (more on that later).

So on a whim one slow Thursday, we booked tickets via telecharge.com for 39 Steps. My only foray into Broadway had me sat through what most veteran broadway patrons had presumambly sat through: The Phantom of the Opera. As I recalled, it was a approximately a couple of hours of live entertainment that I didn't dislike. And with this glowing recommendation, H was sold.

Helen Hayes Theatre is among those nondescript theatres that line up 44th Street. The inside exudes old-world glamour reminiscent of La Dolce Vita. Ornate carvings, red carpets, deep crimson curtains and grand chandeliers are some of the accouterments that imposes on your visual senses as you take in your surroundings.

As my luck would have it, I was seated next to an auntie who was an incarnation of the dratted American fixation on small talking. About 10 minutes prior to the start of the show, I was volleying "No, have you" to her "Have you seen this before? Have you been to this theatre before? Have you seen abc show?" I must say, she tried really hard to keep the conversation going but one can only do so much with pithiness. 

Fortunately, the show started on time and H and I were soon treated to a visual display of innovative hilarity. Between four stage actors, there were 139 roles to be portrayed which called for quite a stretch at resourcefulness and ingenuity from the cast. Coupled with a sparsely appointed set and props, imagination was definitely among the major characters of the show. Chase scenes from atop a moving train and aerial shots of airplanes buzzing near the ground were stripped down of any special effects, leaving the audience to fill in the gaps.

Hitchcock lovers would enjoy the many references to other Hitchcock movies woven into the story, most notable of which was the shower scene from Psycho replete with din-din-din sound effects.

The play tend to drag a bit in the middle, especially with the Irish part where the routine was a little overdone. But it eventually picks up to maintain its verve as it rollicked through 100 minutes of "fast-paced fun and thrilling action."

Catch it if you can.