The 39 Steps

The 39 Steps

Bebington Dramatic Society

Gladstone Theatre

12/6/25

The 39 Steps, released by Gaumont-British in 1935, is the best known and most perennially successful of Hitchcock's British films, and is still among the most critically regarded. An adaptation of John Buchan's popular novel, its central theme is one of an apparently ordinary man embroiled by chance in a sinister conspiracy and charged with a murder he did not commit; he must unravel the plot to prove his innocence. The 39 Steps is one of the earliest examples of the ‘man-on-the-run’ written thriller stories which was then adopted later by Hollywood for many a block buster film, the ‘Fugitive’ being one.

We meet Richard Hannay (Richard Dodd) a Canadian visitor to London sitting in a solitary chair at his flat, he claims to be an extremely ordinary man. Looking for a quiet night at the theatre, he is thrust into the world of espionage and he feels it is his duty to put his country’s interest before his own safety. At the end of "Mr Memory’s show, he meets Annabella Schmidt (Danielle Jones), who says she is a spy, running away from secret agents (gun shots ring out) she asks for help. Hannay agrees to hide her in his flat. She constantly crosses to his window, watching two men acting suspiciously under a street light (enter the Clowns Mike Jones & Danny Myers). Claiming to have uncovered a plot to steal vital British military secrets, she tells Hanney of an espionage organisation ‘The 39 Steps’ led by a man with the top joint missing from a finger (Pinky). Annabella tells him that she must visit an Englishman in a place called ‘Alt na shellach’ in Scotland. In the middle of the night, Annabella stumbles into the room, but before he has a chance to obtain more information, he notices a large knife, she has been stabbed in the back and dies still clutching a map of Scotland. Fearing that he could be accused of the murder, Hannay sneaks out of his flat, deprives a passing milkman of his coat & hat and flees the scene, heading for the station to get a train to Scotland. Discovering that two police officers (The Clowns) are on his trail enters a compartment and kisses the sole occupant, the attractive Pamela (Jenny Jones), in an attempt to escape detection. She frees herself from his unwanted kiss, handing him over to the law. Opening the carriage door, he jumps from the train onto the Forth Rail Bridge and escapes. He crosses the moors (running energetically stage left), finding a farmhouse where he stays the night with a farmer and his young attractive wife Margaret (Jenny Jones). Early the next morning, two policeman (The Clowns) rush into the house, but Hannay helped by Maragaret escapes wearing her farmer husbands Sunday coat for warmth. Running again out on the moors (stage left), the police, their dogs and a plane (North by North West) chase him, but not as you expect!!   They are puppets projected on the back screen, absolutely hilarious, then an elephant joins the chase and still Hannay manages to escape bringing loud appreciation from an enthralled audience. He finally arrives at a door with the sign; ‘Alt na shellach’, where he finds the man with the missing finger joint, the seemingly respectable Professor Jordan with his wife (The Clowns). The Professor hearing Hannay relating his meeting with  Annabella Schmidt proceeds to shoot him and leaves him for dead; a dramatic end to act one.

In act two we find Hannay in the Sherriff’s office (Scotland), having fled once more, saved from the bullet by a prayer book in his jacket pocket. The Sherriff and the Chief Inspector (The Clowns) attempt to arrest him, but Hannay jumps through a window (Rear Window) and escapes into the crowd. He finds refuge in a local hall which is holding a political meeting, but is mistaken for the keynote speaker, he manages to give a rousing impromptu speech, however is recognised by Pamela, who gives him up once more. They are handcuffed together and taken away by the ‘police’. (The Clowns). Hannay and Pamela soon realise they are not police, but involved in the conspiracy and when the car is forced to stop, they escape, Travelling cross country, they stay the night at an inn (Bates Motel), still handcuffed together they pretend to be eloping.  While he sleeps, she slips out of the handcuffs, hearing voices she eavesdrops as on one of the fake policemen (you guessed it, The Clowns) is on the telephone downstairs, whose conversation confirm Hannay’s suspicions. The next morning, both Hannay and Pamela head off to The London Palladium.

At the theatre Hannay spots Professor Jordan sitting in the box. Pamela appears after going to Scotland Yard, but without proof they can do nothing. Mr Memory’s show is introduced and Hannay recognises the annoying catchy tune he hasn’t been able to forget for days. In that moment, he realises that Mr Memory is how the spies are smuggling the secrets out: he has them memorised. The police arrive to arrest Hannay, but he shouts out ‘what are the 39 Steps’ when Mr. Memory compulsively begins to answer, Professor Jordan shoots him and is arrested by the police. The injured Mr. Memory recites the information stored in his brain, admitting to Hannay he is relieved to get it off his chest. We are back in Hannay’s flat, he is once again sitting in the single armchair telling the audience the full story, when the lovely Pamela appears and we know they are now together, but no handcuffs.

This was a hilarious madcap production, exceptional performance by five extremely talented cast. Praise must go to Director David Oliver and his production team, lighting Adam Comer, Sound Jane Wing, costumes Jenny Jones, puppets Keith Hill and projections Mike Jones. With such a minimalist set, plus high physical activity management of props is essential to the fluidity of this production, well done Jen Scanlan and backstage crew John Mason, Maggie Tomlin, Carol Pullin, Alice Rowlands and Vicki Bridson-Vice, including Caroline Kay (Prompt). It was ingenius peppering the titles of 'Hitchcocks' infamous thrillers throughout the play, loved it.  In the original production the part of Richard Hannay is the only one where the actor does not double in another role in the play. The Clowns Mike Jones and Danny Myers play about ninety percent of the other 30 so characters, changing many times, interacting with each other and the other performers on stage. These characters include:  Milkman, Compere, Master of Ceremonies, Mr. Memory and Professor Jordan. Effortlessly switching into various disguises of every age, gender, costume and dialect including Scottish, Cockney, British, and German and somehow, they made it look easy. The audiences also loved watching the actors being challenged and succeeding, building the Forth Bridge out of ladders, for instance, or assembling a car out of four chairs in five seconds, climbing through a non-existent window, manoeuvring a lamppost, it was a masterclass.  Although the action may be ridiculous and unhinged, at all times the story of Richard Hannay’s precarious journey to learn the meaning of ‘the 39 Steps’ is the heart of the play.

It was an absolute delight to join a full house at the Gladstone Theatre and experience the final production in Bebington Drama Society’s centenary season ‘The 39 Steps’. It was so clever I enjoyed every minute an evening I will remember for quite some time.  

Joanne Rymer

NODA

District 4.

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