The 39 Steps

A SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD. TITLE

The 39 Steps

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  1w, 1m, 2 any gender (adult)

Adapted by Patrick Barlow
From the novel by John Buchan

From the movie by Alfred Hitchcock
Licensed by ITV Global Entertainment Limited
And an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon

Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have The 39 Steps, a fast-paced whodunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre! This two-time Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning treat is packed with nonstop laughs, over 150 zany characters (played by a ridiculously talented cast of four), an onstage plane crash, handcuffs, missing fingers, and some good old-fashioned romance!

Image: 2008 Roundabout Theatre Company Production (Joan Marcus)

The 39 Steps

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    1w, 1m, 2 any gender (adult)
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Farce, Adventure, Mystery/Thriller
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! Two 2008 Tony Awards
    Winner! 2008 Drama Desk Award, Unique Theatrical Experience
    Winner! 2007 Laurence Olivier Award, Best New Comedy
    Nominee: Six 2008 Tony Awards, including Best Play
The 39 Steps
Also Available
The 39 Steps, Abridged
The 39 Steps, Even More Abridged

Details

Summary
In The 39 Steps, a man with a boring life meets a woman with a thick accent who says she’s a spy. When he takes her home, she is murdered. Soon, a mysterious organization called “The 39 Steps” is hot on the man’s trail in a nationwide manhunt that climaxes in a death-defying finale! A riotous blend of virtuoso performances and wildly inventive stagecraft, The 39 Steps amounts to an unforgettable evening of pure pleasure! 



History
The 39 Steps was first performed at the West Yorkshire Playhouse on 17 June 2005. The original London production, by arrangement with Edward Snape for Firery Angel Limited, opened at the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn on 10 August 2006 and transferred to the Criterion Theatre in the West End on 14 September 2006. The play premiered on Broadway at the American Airlines Theatre on 15 January 2008. Directed by Maria Aitken, the production featured Arnie Burton, Charles Edwards, Jennifer Ferrin and Cliff Saunders. 
Cast Attributes
Keywords
Performing Groups
  • Time Period 1930s
  • Setting London, Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands. 1935.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Additional Features Physical Comedy
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Gun Shots

Media

“Ingenious! A dizzy delight!” –Daily News
“Theatre at its finest... Absurdly enjoyable! This gleefully theatrical riff on Hitchcock's film is fast and frothy, performed by a cast of four that seems like a cast of thousands.” – The New York Times, Read More
“Ingenious! A dizzy delight!” – Daily News, Read More
“Riotous... marvelous!” – New York Post, Read More
“Rollicking Fun! Hugely Entertaining!” – Sunday Times
“A wonderful triumph of theatre!” – BBC Radio 4
ON BREAKING CHARACTER
20 Plays & Musicals for Spooky Season
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September 27, 2019
Our Picks For The 2019/20 Season
Lawrence Haynes
January 7, 2019
Hitchcock, Monty Python & Spies: THE 39 STEPS
by Ryan Mcleod
October 7, 2015
39 STEPS Supports Red Nose Day
by Courtney Kochuba
May 13, 2015
39 STEPS Takes Over Samuel French’s Instagram
by Courtney Kochuba
April 29, 2015

Videos

  • The 39 Steps - Hannay and the Traveling Salesmen youtube thumbnail

    The 39 Steps - Hannay and the Traveling Salesmen

  • The 39 Steps - Pamela's Stockings youtube thumbnail

    The 39 Steps - Pamela's Stockings

  • The 39 Steps - Professor Jordan youtube thumbnail

    The 39 Steps - Professor Jordan

  • The 39 Steps - Annabella's Demise youtube thumbnail

    The 39 Steps - Annabella's Demise

  • The 39 Steps - NY Montage youtube thumbnail

    The 39 Steps - NY Montage

Show more +

Photos

  • The 39 Steps

    Image: 2008 Roundabout Theatre Company Production (Joan Marcus)

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £70 per performance plus VAT when applicable.
    Performance rights for this show are currently heavily restricted in the UK and Ireland. Please submit a licence request to determine availability

Scripts

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Authors

Patrick Barlow

Patrick Barlow

Besides his version of Lew Wallace’s Ben Hur, Patrick Barlow’s Olivier-nominated adaptation of A Christmas Carol has played off-Broadway and London’s West End while his 4-person adaptation of The 39 Steps has played in over forty countries worldwide, winning Olivier, Helpmann ...

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Author

John Buchan

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