Press nights are often busy and stressful for everyone involved. However, when Mateo Oxley in the lead role of Richard Hannay has to be replaced at short notice due to illness. In steps Charlotte Bloomsbury who is the understudy for all four roles in the production. She stepped into the role of Hannay after roughly a day’s rehearsal to become the framed hero of the production.

Bloomsbury performance didn’t reflect the short notice stand in and she played a fantastic Hannay. Charming, confused and blundering across the United Kingdom in an attempt to discover who killed Annabella (Mei Mei MacLeod) in his London flat and the mystery of what’s about to leave the country!

With a wide range of cameo roles throughout The 39 Steps the other two cast members Phil Yarrow and Danielle Bird fill every single character from the two mysterious men by the street lamp, train passengers, police detectives and hoteliers. Costume changes are fast and Yarrow switching between Policeman and Train inspector at Waverley Station is impressive.

Bird and Yarrow‘s funniest comedy sketch in my opinion is when they take flight as two planes and are constantly flying too close to one another, their navigational skills would have needed to be worked on if they had ever taken flight.

Director Ryan McBryde combines comedy, and puppetry along with planes, trains, and automobiles to follow Hannay to discover the truth about Anabella’s death in a gallant attempt to clear his name.

The 39 Steps isn’t groundbreaking Theatre and doesn’t pretend to be. It’s a solid and dependable comedy that was received positively by the audience who laughed throughout the evening.

Finally, I would like to wish Mateo Oxley a speedy recovery.

For more information about The 39 Steps and future productions at Salisbury Playhouse please click on the link below.

Four Stars.

Photo credit Alistair Muir.

https://www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk/events/the-39-steps

From the novel by John Buchan and from the movie by Alfred Hitchcock.