STEPPING OUT Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, August 15, 2012 - 19
‘39 Steps’ packs big fun into small space
Talented cast and crew
perform comedy-mystery
play through Sunday.
By Emma Breysse
Whatever else it may be, Off
Square Theatre Company’s performance of “The 39 Steps” is a lot of fun
to watch.
The plot follows jaded Englishman
Richard Hannay on a journey through
Scotland as he tries to thwart a spy
ring set to deliver national secrets to
foreign enemies and frame him for
murder. Off Square will perform the
show through Sunday in the Center
for the Arts’ Black Box Theatre.
It sounds overly ambitious — for
example, the script at one point requires Hannay to leap from a train
roof — and could easily have been
too much for a venue as small as
the Black Box. Pulling it off credibly
needs nothing less than top-shelf
stuff from both cast and crew, and
this particular show has both.
The limits of the space are overcome
by using sound and lighting effects and
a small stock of props to portray about
10 different scenes.
The sound effects are particularly well done and add a surprising amount of realism to the action
onstage.
However, the greatest strength of
the show is the four-member cast.
Morgane Barcz, who plays female
lead Pamela along with ill-fated British agent Annabella and Scottish
housewife Margaret, may as well be
Are we it?
Talk to probe
big questions
Jeff Bratz, seen here in a scene with
Hanlon, performs a variety of parts in
the play, as does Bob Berky.
JACLYN BOROWSKI / NEWS&GUIDE photos
John Hanlon plays an Englishman who gets caught up in a spy plot, and
Morgane Barcz handles several roles, including female lead Pamela, in Off
Square Theatre Company’s production of “The 39 Steps.”
three different women. While the innocent and plucky Pamela gets the
guy, Barcz is at her best as the classic femme fatale Annabella, whose
murder sets Richard Hannay off on
his adventures. Barcz stays remarkably mobile despite some serious stiletto heels, and Annabella’s flapperinspired melodrama and outrageous
German accent are pure genius.
John Hanlon, starring as Hannay,
carries the role down to every British
mannerism, quirked eyebrow and exasperated sigh.
Clowns Jeff Bratz and Bob Berky
fill the rest of the play’s roles. They
play villains, country innkeepers,
newspaper hawkers and small-town
political activists with antics worthy
of Monty Python. Watch for their perfectly synchronized obnoxious winks
during a scene where they play Hannay’s vulgar fellow passengers on a
train to Scotland.
The comedy of the play is primarily physical and easy to overdo, but
thanks largely to Bratz and Berky, it
remains understated enough to provoke a laugh rather than an eye roll.
Bratz shines as the borderline senile
chairman of a small-town political
party. His unintelligible speech and
lip-flapping coughs are an absolute
riot. Berky’s finest moment comes
during his turn as the elderly landlady of a remote Scottish inn, where he
spends about 20 minutes hamming
up a thick Scottish accent in a nightgown and knit cap.
The play’s subtle humor is a the
cherry on top. Aboard a train, Pamela reads the original “39 Steps” novel
that was the inspiration for Hitchcock’s film. Radio announcements
about the fugitive Hannay dwell in
detail on how good-looking he is.
Despite the comedic tone of much
of the play, there is still a moment
or two when audience members find
themselves a little choked up.
In short, there were plenty of opportunities for a play like this one in
a venue like this one to hit a wrong
note. This particular production took
none of them.
Mary roberson
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Who: John Hebberger Jr.
What: ‘Is Extraterrestrial Life Likely — or Not?’
a Geologists of Jackson Hole talk
When: 6 p.m. Monday
Where: Teton County commissioners’ chambers
How much: Free
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
By Kelsey Dayton
They are the unanswered questions
that have stirred debate both humorous and serious.
Are we, humans, alone in the universe? Is there life on other planets? Basically, do aliens exist?
On Monday, John Hebberger Jr.
will tackle the question about who, if
anyone — or anything — we share the
universe with at a Geologists of Jackson Hole talk.
The discussion is part of the Geologists of Jackson Hole’s regular speaker series. This month’s talk is being
held on a Monday instead of its normal day due to a scheduling conflict,
Hebberger said. Talks tackle a variety
of topics related to earth science.
It’s an exciting time for science and
exploration of the universe beyond
Earth, Hebberger said. Scientists are
coming closer to answering the ultimate question about space. We are on
the threshold of discovering if life does
exist elsewhere, he said.
The talk will explore what science
knows, what is being studied and
how it affects the assessment about
whether life on other planets exists.
In the past 20 years, there have been
large leaps in what is known about the
Earth’s history, and more planets have
been discovered. With that comes increased probability of finding intelligent life elsewhere, Hebberger said.
“I just think it’s a compelling question to ask,” Hebberger said. “Are we
unique? Are there other civilizations
out there? Are we it?”
FRoM the tetons to the seRengeti
August 15 - August 28
Reception August 16 5:30-7:30 PM
172 Center Street • 307.739.4700
www.altamiraart.com • [email protected]
241550