Pace

This is the definition of pace: "the speed at which someone or something moves, or with which something happens or changes". Pace can make or break the performance of "The 39 steps". The 39 Steps is a much beloved english comedy play and one of the reasons that it's such a successful comedy is because of the pace of the show and the amount of energy put in by the actors. Each scene needs to be treated like a little sketch where we focus all our energy and focus on because if we are splitting our focus across the show, we won't be using all our energy in each scene. The show doesn't work if the actors talk really slow and their movement is lacking the energy the show very quickly becomes boring so the high energy is needed to make 39 steps the spectacle that it is. Pace is enssntial weather the scene needs the slow pace reaction for an old man moving and talking or the face pace speak between Hannay and the milkman when he's trying to run away, Pace is constantly used in the show and without the pace the show becomes a bit boring as it goes from scene to scene needing to change pace every scene to what is suitable for the interractions between characters while still keeping the fast pace sketch like performance tone. In Thirty-Nine Steps pace is most important to the two clowns as although Hannay and the girl do alot, the clowns have an endless number of quick changes and characters to perform as. Like in the train scene in Act 1 when the two clowns are constantly changing between the two underwear salesmen, a policeman, a paper boy, Mrs Higgins and the train assistant. This scene would lose all comedic value if the clowns pace is slow because the changes between the characters needs to be fast and chaotic.