The 39 Steps, UK Tour Review
The 39 Steps production image. Photo by Mark SeniorWritten by Eleanor
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Content Warnings: Use of strobe/flashing lights and loud gun sound effects.
The 39 Steps is a comic play adapted from the original novel by John Buchan and a film by Alfred Hitchcock. This play first premiered in the mid-1990s, having been adapted many times since then, and its most recent iteration is currently touring the UK. The production may be most well-known for having a cast of only four actors who play over 130 roles during the show’s duration, which intrigued me from the outset.
This play follows the intrepid hero, Richard Hannay (played by Tom Byrne); a quintessentially British gentleman residing quietly in London. But after a fateful theatre visit, he becomes embroiled in a secret spy plot and is forced to go on the run as a suspected murderer. As he makes his way through Scottish towns and countryside, he meets a whole host of comic characters. The majority of which are played by Eugene Mccoy and Maddie Rice. After Pamela (Safeena Ladha) are forced to join Richard on the run, can the pair foil the plot, find out the meaning behind the 39 Steps and clear Richard’s name before it is too late?
I was able to watch this production during its stop at Richmond Theatre, London. Although I was aware of this production in general, I knew nothing about the plot or cast of characters. I came away from the theatre having been captivated by this parody-style comedy. Richmond Theatre is a gorgeous space which perfectly complimented the feel of the show. The exaggerated comedy, inventive staging and brilliant character acting made for an enjoyable night of theatre.
One of the more notable aspects of The 39 Steps is its constant satirical and parody style of comedy. Although all of the recognisable beats of a classic spy thriller are there, everything is highly exaggerated to create absurd and hilarious comic scenes. A recurring favourite of mine was the fact that every time an external door opened a faux wind would blow about the characters. Similarly, I enjoyed the way that both a policeman and Hannay ruffled their coats to simulate the wind as they stood on top of a moving train. There was also a lot of other physical comedy used on stage, which had as equally humorous results. There is one moment in the first act, involving Hannay peering through a window to look at an outside lamp post, which was so simple but incredibly funny. This was then repeated within a short space of time, adding to the comedy of that moment.
Due to the very nature of The 39 Steps, it demands some great character acting. Maddie Rice and Eugene McCoy excelled as the two ‘clowns’. Playing the majority of the roles, they switched between widely different characters in the blink of an eye, in some cases playing two parts each within the same scene. Rice even has a conversation with herself while dressed in a split costume. Their host of different roles, each with more bizarre and daft accents and character traits than the last, are a key component as to why this show is so brilliant. Tom Byrne carries the weight of this story as Richard Hannay and is just excellent as the sophisticated, yet slightly bumbling, British gentleman. He creates an instantly likeable character which the audience could warm to and is a perfect leading man. By his side was Safeena Ladha as his self-reliant leading lady. Playing all three of the main female protagonists, Ladha can make each of these roles very distinct and helps create some light-hearted, romantic tension between Pamela and Hannay.
The 39 Steps also stood out for me due to the inventive use of other creative elements such as props, scenery and lighting. Many of these were very simple but had a great impact on stage. For example, shadow puppets were used to give the impression of a crowd of people in the background of the scene, and then again to comically show Hannay escaping across the Scottish moors. I also liked how lighting (designed by Ian Scott) was used to evoke movement or make getaway scenes more dramatic. Similarly, it was the most simple props which garnered the best audience reactions. Whether it was the movement of a fake door or the producing of a fake arm, it was a surefire way to keep the audience entertained and I found it wonderfully charming.
For me, The 39 Steps was one of my favourite shows of the year so far. Although the style of comedy might not be to everyone’s taste and the conclusion of the plot could’ve been a little bit clearer, I found the piece to be brilliantly witty and fabulously funny. The cast absolutely nailed the brief of this show with Tom Byrne as the perfect dashing and classic hero. The many different characters were each unique and easily defined, with each one being as humorous as the next. Do you catch this show on tour if you can!
The 39 Steps is touring the UK from the 14th of March 2024 until the 27th of July 2024. The full list of tour dates can be found on their website.
★★★★.5
