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The Thirty-Nine Steps
LION FOUNDATION Season of
The Thirty-Nine Steps
by John Buchan adapted by Ross Gumbley
001 THE ORIGINAL BRITISH SPY: HANNAY, RICHARD HANNAY.
Lisa Chappell and Mike Edward star in THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS, the hilarious whodunit thriller and quick-change comedy adaptation of John Buchan’s classic spy novel which opens Auckland Theatre Company’s 2009 season at the Maidment Theatre on February 12.
Mix a juicy espionage masterpiece, add a dash of Black Adder, a riotous blend of virtuoso performances and wildly inventive stagecraft and you have THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS a fast-paced whodunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre!
“I have found myself at the centre of an international conspiracy where the defence of the realm is at stake!” Richard Hannay
THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS begins as Richard Hannay, seeking a frivolous night out at the theatre, is lured into a world of intrigue by a mysterious American claiming to be a spy. When the American winds up dead in his flat, Hannay flees London with a unusual one-eyed spy and the police hot on his trail.
Complete with stiff upper lip and a miraculous knack of getting himself into and out of sticky situations, Hannay encounters dastardly murders, double crossing secret agents and, of course, devastatingly beautiful women, in a race against time to save the British Empire.
“Absurdly enjoyable! This gleefully theatrical riff on Buchan’s novel is fast and frothy, performed by a cast of four that seems like a cast of thousands.” The Press
Joined by Cameron Rhodes and Stephen Papps, Chappell and Edwards take on all 160 zany characters as well as driving trains, sailing a dreadnaught, flying a bi-plane and even piloting an invading zeppelin in this frightfully British summer show.
International awarding winning actress Lisa Chappell returns to Auckland Theatre Company to reprise the role of the devastatingly beautiful femme fatal which she delivered with such great aplomb in the company’s 2008 summer show, DESIGN FOR LIVING.
Chappell, who is best known for her role as Claire McLeod on McLEOD’S DAUGHTERS, won the Silver Logie for the Most Popular Actress on Australian Television in 2004. She was also nominated for two Golden Logies for Best Actress on Australian Television in 2003 and 2004.
THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS is directed by Ross Gumbley, artistic director of Christchurch’s The Court Theatre, “I’m really excited to be directing in Auckland and that our two companies are working together on this production. It can only bode well for theatre in New Zealand when the country’s two largest theatre companies work together. I hope this is the first of much collaboration.”
THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS promises to be an unforgettable evening of pure entertainment! Tickets can be purchased at Maidment Theatre, 308 2383 or www.atc.co.nz.
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