Our Neighbor Long Beach Playhouse (Opens its 86th ANNIVERSARY-truly Amazing!!) With a Great One-Of-A-Kind Smart-Yet-Laugh-Full Winner --"The 39 Steps" also opened a Sept 2014 Anniversary But LBPH is #86-Year

Theater Review: PATCH Entertainment Event: Long Beach, Belmont Shore, Naples, Los Alamitos/Seal Beach

The 39 Steps: Wild But Brilliant.. Ultra Clever Comedy.. Cast, Writer, Director & Backstage Team Make Unique Terrific Don’t-Miss-Show!

Reviewed By: Joseph Sirota

Guess who thought they won the Longest Great Anniversary in town? PBS’ KCET, the Nation’s Largest Independent Public TV Station(giant of metropolitan Los Angeles)! It did bring fine, diverse entertainment, education, culturals & many awards? And they are exactly spreading KCET‘s 50th Anniversary-happening this very Sept 2014 (That’s Now)! I admit, openly.. I’m a big fan of KCET & am happy they opened some years before I moved here from NY. Ah! But I also came across a lil’ modestly far older “HOORAH-WORTHY” “Looong Showplace” right here in our dear Long Beach Playhouse. And our LBPH is NOW offering a Grand multi-fun “Must See”(& Laugh out loud”) live show that I love! on this same Sept Season Opener. Like KCET LBPH, too Delightfully Entertains, is Smartly Educational, Wonderful/cultural play showing a London & Scotland Spy story right before World War-II). LBPH’s “The 39 Steps” also opened a Sept 2014 Anniversary But LBPH is #86-Year (not 50!) +72% More! - We Win!

As for LBPH’s selection of “The 39 Steps”-- It’s an absolutely Laugh a Second Comedic Gem. It not only makes us laugh non-stop, It also keeps changes Characters, Costumes, Accents, Settings, & Actors along with the clever Writers & Director’s/guffaws. On a historical note (& “WHY? basis), this 3 years ago comedic Broadway Version of “The 39 Steps” was warmly also a tremendous homage to the late/great Alfred Hitchcock (who was the 1935 Director of the original, actual murder/spy mystery of the same name. Hitchcock was smart enough to put out the original is 1935 wondrous/serious movie, because Britain (& Scotland, too) already were sensing & fearing the likely oncoming of a horrid World Wide War from Germany & the quickly growing in power, Hitler. Hitchcock’s original film was seen the work of a genius -- who went on to be the King of thriller/mysteries for the next 30+ years. What a daring trial for the Writing Team of Patrick Barlow & John Buchan to make the thriller/killer/mystery a smash comedy on Broadway - which remainder a fabulous comedy hit (IF YOU HAVE THE fine Cast, Team Back-Stage & On-Stage, & a Super Director. Happily -- their Broadway courage was superb, and our LBPH Long Beach Team is clearly also superb and audience delighters indeed. So come on down to Long Beach Playhouse Mainstage to see & enjoy the spectical amazing 86th Anniversary live joy for yourselves. (Don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of other times to stay home to watch some fine KCET 50th Anniversary TV shows on rainy days (that is... If it ever rains again in Southern California...egads.)

Outlandishly Delightful Writing Team: Patrick Barlow & John Buchan - A truly brilliant duo made a great hit- a NEW Hit!

Director -- Dale Jones wisely knows that though the play is laughing through non-stop physical show-stoppers & moment to moment spoken jokes galore, there is deep worry in the 1935 setting to saving England, Europe, & Earth from vicious world war. He also pays homage to seeing the early genius of the soon to Grand Glorious Fame of Alfred Hitchcock’s unequaled films in life.

Stage Director - Jeanne Marie Valleroy gets better each time as her creative, powerful ability makes us feel we saw greatness.

The rest of the creative Back Stage team, is also at it very best in this uniquely challenging show: Set Design-Sean Gray; Light Design-Daniel Driskill; Sound Design-Larry Mura; Costume Design-Donna Fritsche; Projection Design-Driskill & Gray.

CAST: A foursome of clever actors that smoothly, yet explosively funny gives us Two delicious Hours of unique JOY !!

Jeremy Bear -Richard Hannay - So Outstandingly one-of-a-kind.. He holds the story as ONE & Only One Character Actor!

Mark Davidson -Clown-1 He can do just about it all -- But Boy oh Boy is he particular Great at Being BAD Guys Galore!

Michael Chiboucas -Clown-2 Is a will-be killer one sec, but sure brings a Boyish charm too (Matt Damon’s brother?)-fine!

Madeleine Heil -3 or 4 lovely girls in one magnetic delight--Ms Heil thumps our hearts in all strides.(& Wins as each GAL!)

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==> Long Beach Playhouse Mainstage Theatre, 5021 E.Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA. Sched: Fri & Sat 8:PM.

Sun matinees @ 2:PM. Closes: Oct 25. Tkts: $24 ($21 Senior, $14 Student). Call: (562) 494-1014 option-1

Website: www.LBPlayhouse.org