The 39 Steps

Patrick Barlow’s comic take on The 39 Steps is famously described as a Hitchcock thriller colliding with a madcap sketch show, five actors racing through dozens of characters in a breathless spoof of Buchan’s novel and Hitchcock’s 1935 film. This production fully embraced that challenge. Billed as “5 actors, 139 characters, 1 side-splitting comedy”, the company delivered an evening of high-energy, fast-paced fun which kept the audience laughing while keeping a clear sense of the underlying spy story.

Under the direction of Judy Mallam and Claire Davies, the action flowed with clean transitions, inventive use of minimal set pieces and a constant sense of forward drive, essential in a show that leans so heavily on pace and momentum. The balance between farce and thriller was handled carefully: the comedy was broad enough to generate laughs, but the stakes for Hannay were never completely forgotten, so the audience remained engaged with the plot as well as the humour. Visual inventiveness, particularly in the train sequences and moments of supposed “high drama” undercut by delightfully low-tech theatrical tricks, captured the playful spirit of the piece.

As Richard Hannay, Guy Mason provided a strong anchor. The role demands an actor who can be both the “straight man” and an active participant in the surrounding chaos, and he managed that balance well. He gave Hannay a relaxed, old-fashioned charm while still leaning into moments of physical comedy and bewilderment when circumstances spiralled out of control. His vocal clarity and firm narrative drive helped guide the audience through the most frenetic passages; whenever the stage was busy with multiple characters and rapid changes, his presence kept the story centred and easy to follow.

One of the pleasures of The 39 Steps is the multi-casting, with actors jumping between characters, accents and physical types at high speed. Nick Saward, playing no fewer than 14 characters, threw himself into the quick-change nature of the piece. His gallery of policemen, shady foreigners, bystanders and assorted eccentrics was distinct and playful, with strong physical choices and well-judged accents. The speed at which he shifted between roles, sometimes within the same scene, added to the manic fun of the evening.

Jim Walker, covering 6 characters, brought solid comic timing and supported many set-pieces with confident reactions and neat character detail. His work helped glue scenes together, particularly in moments where the script relies on secondary characters to keep both the joke and the plot moving. Kate Eveson (3 characters) and Rebecca Parkinson (2 characters) handled the female roles with style, giving each character a clear flavour without slipping into crude caricature. They carried both the romantic thread and a sizeable share of the comedy, especially in moments where the tone briefly shifts from spoof to genuine tension or tenderness. Together the ensemble built a believable, if happily exaggerated, world; their commitment to physical storytelling, running gags with hats and coats, sudden character “morphs”, and varied vocal work, underpinned the success of the production. Roger Bury’s radio announcer added period flavour with neatly pitched, clipped delivery.

Technically, the show was strong. Sound effects, operated by Will Thomas, were sharply executed and integrated beautifully with the action. In a piece that depends on trains, planes, doors, telephones and all sorts of comic embellishments, this is no small achievement. Cues were well-timed, supporting both narrative and punchlines; the train sequences in particular benefitted from a robust soundscape that enhanced the comedy without drowning the dialogue.

Lighting, designed by Finlay Hart with Zac Borrow on follow spot, was excellent. Changes of colour, angle and focus helped mark the swift shifts in location and mood, which is invaluable in a production that leaps from London flats to Scottish moors to music halls using only a few pieces of furniture. 

The set, managed by John Royle, John Hart and Simon Elcomb and created by Jenny Berry and Jim Green, wisely avoided heavy realism in favour of flexible, suggestive pieces that could be reused in multiple inventive ways. Chairs, window frames and door frames were all pressed into service as partners in the comedy and storytelling. Scene changes in the first act were particularly well handled, with the cast themselves carrying out the majority of the moves. This kept the flow continuous, made the mechanics of the production part of the joke, and suited the style of a show that celebrates theatrical make-believe.

In the second half, however, this convention was not always maintained. On a couple of occasions, a crew member came onstage to hang a piece of set or move an item, with a script clearly visible sticking out of his back pocket. While regular society members in the audience may have enjoyed recognising a familiar face and even exchanging a bit of friendly heckling, for a newcomer this was distracting rather than charming. It broke the illusion that the production had worked hard to create in the first act, drew focus away from the story at key moments, and visually suggested under-preparation even though the show itself was well rehearsed. Having technicians suddenly visible also cut across the established “rule” of the evening, that the actors themselves manage the stage, and so felt inconsistent with the otherwise carefully constructed world of the play.

Costume work by Christine Dixon and Barbara Bolton was another key ingredient in keeping the many characters clear. A clever use of quick-change costumes, hats, coats and accessories allowed instant transformations that still looked tidy and intentional. Continuity, overseen by Ann-Marie Caine, was clearly well managed: despite the sheer number of characters and props, the visual storytelling remained coherent throughout.

One additional element that disrupted the otherwise strong sense of flow came midway through the second act. Between scenes, the lights suddenly came up in the auditorium for the raffle to be drawn. This is something seen quite often in amateur productions, and it is entirely understandable that companies need to raise funds. However, as the audience had already been in the auditorium for the interval, it would have been better to complete the raffle at the end of the interval. Stopping the action in this way pulled the audience sharply out of the story just as the plot was building again, and the shift in focus proved distracting.

Overall, this was a lively, confident staging of a demanding play, delivered by a committed ensemble and a well-coordinated backstage team. Strong acting, precise sound effects and imaginative lighting combined to create an evening that showcased both the performers and the production team, and offered the audience a fast-moving, entertaining and thoroughly theatrical night out.

 

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