Theatre Review – 39 Steps, Lyric Theatre

I’ve yet to see a bad show from Bruiser Theatre Company, and I’m yet to see a bad play at The Lyric Theatre, so when they put on a co-production you can bet that this is a trend that continued last night.  The basic story is set in 1935 and concerns our hero Richard Hannay who finds himself crushingly bored one night and so decides to go to the theatre, here he meets a lady who fires a gun, insists he takes her home and then leaves him with a map and a bit of a quest.  One thing leads to another, leads to another, and before we know it we’re on a mad cross country dash with him to Scotland where all sorts of madcap hijinks occur and the the story twists and turns more than a snake on Britney Spears shoulders.

All 139 parts are played by just 4 actors (Hannah Brackstone-Brown, Michael Condron, Michael Johnston & Liam Jeavons) and while at first it appears that 2 of the actors are just going to be set-movers and doing bit parts, it soon becomes clear that all 4 actors are as important as each other and each deserve the laudits they get for such excellent performances. The play had the audience in stitches from start to finish as we are treated to an absolute master class in physical drama comedy.  A standing ovation was given at the end and I’m sure if the audience could have given more than one they would have.  This is the best play yet from bruiser, yes even better than last years Cabaret, and that’s saying a lot.   My favourite show of the year and one that’s going to be very hard to beat.