On Monday evening Xene, Neva and I were invited along to Theatre By The Lake Keswick to watch the very funny 39 Steps.
The theatre is positioned in a uniquely beautiful lakeside setting on Derwentwater, it’s a ten minute walk from the centre of Keswick.
Across the road from the theatre is Crow Park from where you can get 360⁰ panoramic views of the mountains that surround the town, along with stunning views down the lake towards the exceptionally beautiful Borrowdale valley.
Currently the theatre is set up as a round, which makes for a brilliant experience as you feel like you are right there as part of the production.
The show is performed by just four people, Dave Hearn plays Richard Hannay that the story revolves around, Olivia Onyehara played Annabella Schmidt, Pamela and Margaret, Lucy Keirl and Niall Ransome played the clowns.
A gripping and hilarious whodunnit from the director of the 2022 stage production of ‘Brief Encounter’
Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have the ‘The 39 Steps’ a fast paced production for anyone who loves the magic of the theatre.
What Did We Think of The 39 Steps
All the family are huge fans of Mischief theatre, so we were excited to see Dave in action, and he certainly didn’t disappoint, the show was hilarious from start to finish!
All four of the actors were outstanding, the show is indeed fast paced, you barely stop for breath, with each clever scene change and character swap, it becomes more crazy.
Lucy and Niall played the clowns to perfection, and having both male and female roles played by both gave a refreshing change, that shows in the future could learn from!
Apart from the fact that both of them are just genuinely funny people, the chemistry between the two of them seemed very real, and they clearly enjoy working together.
In fact all four of them were a great group that you felt had worked together for years, but in the Q&A session, it was only Dave and Niall that had worked together previously, which was not apparent in the production at all.
The interaction with audience members adds a different element with each participant, and the laughter that ensues, which then leads to another roar of laughter throughout the theatre!
There are a few moments when you find yourself holding your breath, and hiding behind your hands, as the debonair Mr Hannay tries to escape off the fourth bridge!
If you are undecided whether to go and watch the show, I would say don’t hesitate, just BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW!
We stayed behind for a post show discussion which was fascinating, and if you have tickets booked for 1st September, there is another one taking place, so I would definitely recommend that you stay for that.
we were given complimentary tickets in exchange for a review, all thoughts and opinions are my own.