“There is no terror in the bang, only the anticipation of it.”
These wise words from Alfred Hitchcock must have resonated with the cast and crew of Ridley College’s “The 39 Steps” as they prepared this radio play production of the repercussions of a mysterious murder.
Following Richard Hannay throughout Europe in an attempt to clear his name of murder charges, the audience is met with thrilling twists and drama, two things delivered effortlessly by the Ridley cast. The talented students put on a creative play that redefined spectators’ expectations of the 1935 original.
The lighthearted production was equivalent to watching a scary movie under a blanket. Meant to be fun and lively, the ensemble also succeeded in carrying the underlying suspense throughout the show.
Jules Idigbe shone as Pamela Stewart, the sassy-yet-sophisticated woman caught up in Hannay’s adventure. Idigbe expressed her character’s slight fear with a tremble in her voice, without ever diminishing the pizzazz. Her voice was perfect for the delivery on the radio, and her physical acting kept the audience engaged despite the story being framed as a broadcast only listeners would be able to hear.
One of the most successful elements of “The 39 Steps” was the delivery of jokes, with laughter echoing throughout the house. Faith Sauntry, one of the main comedic characters, effortlessly brought forth giggles and chuckles. Her hilariously bad Scottish accent did not disappoint, along with her frantic and over-exaggerated gestures as stage manager of the radio play.
From start to finish, Foley technicians Audrey Serravalle and August Xu created amazing sound effects to add dramatic ambience, set the tone and advance the story. The sounds were created using different instruments, as well as objects that one would not think could create such acoustics.
These two cast members created the sounds of blinds closing, gunshots, train whistles, car honks and so much more that added to the atmosphere, but never overpowered the actors’ voices.
While the Foley crew and the rest of the cast were on stage, the student production team working backstage were also essential to the show’s success. The costumes added elegance and successfully portrayed the fashion of the era. Guided by a binder full of design inspiration notes, costume designers Dan Hu and Lexa Hummel selected outfits and made alterations to gorgeous era-appropriate dresses and trousers for the cast that reflected the esthetic of the play.
Overall, this production was a wonderful take on the original thrilling murder mystery.
With the sound effects and costume design adding excitement to the radio play, as well as the actors rarely missing a beat with their delivery of lines, it is safe to say the Ridley cast created an adaptation worthy of Hitchcock’s approval.
Ambar Foster is a student at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School.
What are the Cappies?
Cappies Niagara is a critics and awards program for high school theatre and journalism that’s all about student reviews of student productions. For 2022-23, students from participating high schools are trained as critics, attend shows at other schools and write reviews.
Their reviews are submitted for review by a Cappies teacher. The top three reviews are published (the best one in its entirety) in the arts and life sections of Niagara’s three daily newspapers: The Standard, The Review and The Tribune.
At the end of the season, the student critics and performers gather for a formal Cappies awards ceremony.
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