Charles Edwards
Hometown: Hampshire, England
Currently: Making his Broadway debut as Richard Hannay, the dashing and debonair hero caught in a madcap web of murder and mystery in the Roundabout Theatre Company's production of The 39 Steps.
Blood Brothers: As the youngest of four brothers, two of whom became actors and directors themselves, Edwards declares performing to be "in the blood, though I don't know whose blood it's in," among his family. He immersed himself in theater at school, at the expense of his other classes: "My academic work slowly went down the drain over the course of my education," he says with a laugh, "but [my teachers] were very good about encouraging me to do plays." After studying at London's prestigious Guildhall School of Music & Drama, he landed his first professional job as haunted husband Charles Condomine in Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit, a role he now admits he was "completely unsuitable for. I was 24, and he's supposed to be in his 40s, so I was way too young," Edwards wryly recalls. "My very first entrance, I had to smoothly come down the stairs, and I tripped on the carpet. That didn't bode terribly well."
Steps in Time: Based on Hitchcock's classic thriller, The 39 Steps finds suave gentleman Richard Hannay Edwards turned into a man on the run after a woman is murdered in his flat, sending him on an international chase involving spies and secrets. Over the course of the show's 110 minutes, Edwards runs the comedy gamut, from wordplay and double takes to comically inventive physical stunts, including escaping from a speeding train, dodging airplanes and checking into a hotel while handcuffed to co-star Jennifer Ferrin. "There used to be a moment in the second act when I was off for about 10 seconds to have a drink, mop my brow and get my breath back," he wistfully recalls, "but that's been taken away. I begged them to leave it there, but they said, 'No, no, we're gonna cut that little scene; we're afraid you're straight back on.'"
Comedy Tonight! Edwards originated the role of Hannay at London's Tricycle Theatre, then moved with the show to its Olivier Award-winning run at the West End's Criterion Theatre, where it's still going strong. Productions in Australia, France and Italy are forthcoming, too. "I initially thought, 'Oh, just the people who know the movie are going to enjoy this,' but I was proved completely wrong," he admits. "Those who know the movie will chuckle at certain bits, and those who don't still roar at the physical jokes. If you haven't seen the movie, it really doesn't matter a bit." Getting the show on its feet with minimal props has been a wildly creative experience that keeps Edwards and company thinking of new ways to make people laugh. "It's always changing, this show," he muses. "I've been doing it now for a year and a half, and while the blueprint remains the same, there's tinkering going on all the time—'try this, try that'—which I welcome, because it keeps us all fresh."
Decadence and Dressing Gowns: Now that the rigorous schedule of rehearsals and Broadway previews are at an end, Edwards is looking forward to exploring the city. "I've been settling in happily, but my apartment has just been for eating and sleeping, essentially," he admits. "Once we're up and running, I'm sure there are plenty of New York guilty pleasures waiting around the corner to discover." In the meantime, he and the other three members of the 39 Steps company are basking in cheering audiences, critical raves and the spacious accommodations of the American Airlines Theatre. "We're each in dressing rooms that would normally hold perhaps three or four people," he says with a laugh, "so we lounge around in a decadent way and wear dressing gowns and enjoy our luxury. It's the perfect way to unwind!"