REVIEWS

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" [...] if you don't go to see the inaugural production of The 39 Steps produced by Out There Theater Company that you are missing the best production you will see in Portland this year.

As you are all aware, I don't usually mince words when it comes to theatre. I have strong opinions, I do my best to be objective when things are good but *I* don't like them, and I can be critical when i think things can be better.
I put that up front so you can understand what I mean when I tell you Sarah Kennedy as a director is a god damn genius and is going to create some of the best art you see in this city, you know that I am putting my whole chest into this. From top to bottom, this piece is conceptualized immaculately. From the postering on the walls as you walk in, to the physical direction and comedy portions that had me HOWLING... She has demonstrated a mastery that I cannot fully put words to how impressed I was for an inaugural piece. If THIS is what she is putting out into the world as her first go at things... she's going to be up there with some of the other great visionaries of Portland theatre like Peter Brown, Stacey Koloski, Keith Powell Beyland and other staples of the area, in very short time.

She is assisted by another founder of the company, Joanna Clarke who also designed costumes in such a brilliant way. Genevieve Joy Breitbach plays three different characters and while it's very obvious from the nature of the show, Joanna's costumes created three different looks that made you actually stop for a second to remember is was the same actress. I could have seen the leading man's outfit on any LORT stage and couldn't pick it out because it was perfectly put together and felt like it was made for the actor.

The sound design by Nate Speckman should win an award. This is not a joke or hyperbole. The sound design for the show created such an incredible atmosphere and was hilarious all on it's own. Very few times has "sound design" made me laugh so hard.
Kait Gurney's props are so funny. I want to tell you more. I want to tell you about the props that made me tear up because I was laughing so hard. But the shock value of it is too good so I can't. But please know that there will be sheep and you will fall in love with them. There will small details that are just there for one or two people to catch each show because they look at just the right moment to see a prop being used. And it will make your sides hurt from laughing.
And now to the cast.

Tom Haushalter plays the "leading man" of Richard Hannay in such a perfect 1930's Leading Man. The accent is CLEAN. The physical comedy and timing of joke delivery is a masterclass. There are moments all he has to do is move the corner of his mouth and the audience will laugh. I cannot wait to see him more. His command of the stage is absolutely sensational.
Genevieve Breitbach plays the "leading ladies" and her grasp of the stylized acting in this piece is worth the cost of the ticket itself. The 39 Steps has a lot of Brecht level comedy on par with The Play That Goes Wrong and there are specific moments of "bad acting." Yet, there is a very very nuanced skill to pull it off where it is comedy but stylized and I have not seen such a perfect balance before. She plays into the "romantic leading lady" trope and goes just far enough to hit the trope but never crosses the line into "DO YOU GET THE JOKE?!" The result is that every joke, physical and verbal, lands. Every single one. From her overdramatic death of one character to the "wait, no, i DO love you" moment in act two of another... every single choice is gold.

Rounding out the cast are The Clowns: Jeffrey Servetas and Justine Wiesinger. As someone with a penchant for these types of roles myself, I was excited to see what these two would do. And holy god... what they do is brilliant. Jeff's scene changes that get progressively more unhinged, Justine's accents, the god damn train scene with 10 hats, Justine's accents, Jeff in several dresses, have I mentioned Justine's accents? Seriously, her ability to fade in and out of ANY accent is world class. The two of them carried so much of the background of the show on their backs... sometimes literally... and were always providing incredible moments that you could catch out of the corner of your eye.

With all that said, I am begging you: sell this show out. Out There Theater Company's freshman production of The 39 Steps is incredible. Imagine what more they can do with support and finances going forward. Sarah, Joanna, and Dalton Kimbal are about to make waves in the Portland theatre scene, and I hope beyond hopes you can be there to witness it. Tonight was such a special chance to watch a new company burst onto the scene with so much gusto. The 39 Steps runs this weekend and next at Hill Arts on the Eastern Prom. Do not wait to get your tickets.
Bravo to the entire cast, crew and production team of this production. You have created one helluva debut!"

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-Kyle Aarons