The 39 Steps

Th, F and Sa 8pm. Through 12/17. $12-$18. Big Idea Theatre, 1616 Del Paso Boulevard; (916) 960-3036; www.bigideatheatre.org.
Rated 4.0

Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 spy movie gets a madcap comic interpretation in this adaptation by Patrick Barlow. A cast of four wildly talented actors—Ian Hopps, Stephanie Hodson, Scott Divine and Zachary Scovel—play more than 100 characters, sometimes more than one at a time. Directed by Jouni Kirjola, it’s a marvel of timing and execution. The play itself, however, could be better.