Hitchcock meets hijinks in 'The 39 Steps'

The Alfred Hitchcock filmography spans nearly 55 years, starting in 1922. But in the 1930s, “the master of suspense” began hitting his stride with “The Man Who Knew Too Much” followed by 1935’s “The 39 Steps.”

“The 39 Steps” concerns an unsuspecting man attending a demonstration by a “Mr. Memory” where gunshots echo through the assembly hall and entangles him in a spy plot. The scenario includes a mysterious woman and a fatal stabbing with no knowledge of the culprit.

In 2005, British playwright and comedian Patrick Barlow wrote a stage version. The catch: the play only uses four actors. The story then plays out as a comedy. And, yes, there is slapstick involved.

Liminal Playhouse stages 'The Nether'

Enter Nathan Keepers in his first directing role for Actors Theatre of Louisville in its season opener, “The 39 Steps.” Keepers knows comedy and slapstick having appeared in last season’s “Peter and the Starcatcher” along with earlier productions of “Noises Off,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and “Fissures” from the 2010 Humana Festival of New American Plays. His also joined his fellow theater-makers in The Moving Company and the defunct Theatre de la Jeune Lune for productions of “The Miser” and “Love, Labor’s Lost.”

The cast includes Carter Gill, Jesse J. Perez, David Ryan Smith and Zuzanna Szadkowski.

Note: The theater advises that the production includes light violence and sexual content, which may not be suitable for young children.

WHEN: Tuesday, Aug. 30, to Sept. 18

WHERE: Actors Theatre of Louisville (Pamela Brown Auditorium), 316 W. Main St.

COST: $25 to $59

INFORMATION: (502) 584-1265; actorstheatre.org.

Liminal Playhouse stages 'The Nether'

Reach reporter Elizabeth Kramer at (502) 582-4682 and ekramer@courier-journal.com. Follow her on Twitter @arts_bureau and on Facebook at Elizabeth Kramer - Arts Writer.