By Chris Bavender
Take an old fashioned whodunit, mix in a dash of Monty Python, romance and more than 150 characters played by just four actors and you’ll have the award winning “39-Steps” – the latest production by the Carmel Community Players.
In the show, a man with a boring life meets a woman who claims to be a spy. After he takes her home, she’s murdered. It’s not long after that a mysterious organization called The 39 Steps is “hot on his trail” in a manhunt across that country.
“I hope they laugh from beginning to end,” said director Lori Raffel. “Whether they are fans of Alfred Hitchcock or not, this is a funny show. I have never directed a show like this before and I wanted the challenge. It’s the fastest-moving and most-complicated script that I’ve ever had the joy to tackle.”
Raffel credits her cast of four for that.
“No one rests during this show. All actors are on for just about all scenes – in various characters – men and women,” Raffel said. “The actors get a workout, that’s for sure. There is so much action, each scene had to be choreographed before we could even begin rehearsal.”
39 Steps runs through Aug. 2. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are 415 for adults and $13 for seniors (62+) and students.
