HOW do you adapt John Buchan's classic wartime sub-Bond thriller, The 39 Steps? Hitchcock's celebrated film made it witty and moving.
Thursday night's performance at the Lyric Theatre – a co-production between the Lyric and Bruiser Theatre Company, under director Lisa May – was more homage to Monty Python than the great film director. Well, they were working on a script by comedy specialist Patrick Barlow.
From the off, we were in spoof central. Michael Johnston, as Richard Hannay, was a revelation in the John Cleese mode.
When he tried to woo Nazi villainess Pamela, he was beyond hilarious.
In fact, the amazing thing about the whole evening was that the drama's serious message about the importance of freedom managed to break through the comedy.
Michael Condron and Liam Jeavons were outstanding as a clowning double act at the start, and even better as comic Scottish archetypes.
When the wifey in drag invited Hannay into the party, all 60s shadow shapes, it brought the house down.
The second half, on a misty moor, followed the plotline we know so well. As our hero finally encounters the eponymous 39 steps, he discovers the reason why we had to fight the war.
The female lead was equally impressive. Hannah Brackstone-Browne was a revelation as a brace of women characters, especially as posh Arabella.
Do see this production if you can, it' s good for the immune system.
:: Until April 16. See lyrictheatre.co.uk for details and booking.
