The 39 Steps

Comedy

West End

Criterion Theatre

Until Sat Oct 19

The 39 Steps

©Tristram Kenton / Cast Stephen Critchlow & Andy Williams
The 39 Steps

©Tristram Kenton / Cast Stephen Critchlow & Andy Williams
The 39 Steps

Tristram Kenton

The 39 Steps

©Tristram Kenton / Cast Stephen Critchlow & Andy Williams

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Thu Apr 23 2009

Current cast features Andrew Alexander as Richard Hannay and Catherine Bailey as Annabella Schmidt/Pamela/Margaret. Other parts are played by Paul Bigley and Stephen Critchlow.

There's a wonderful '80s comedy sketch where one extremely effete doctor turns to another and declares, 'I learnt everything I know about women from the novels of John Buchan.' Though Buchan was aggressively heterosexual, his emphasis on a world where a chap's upper lip was as stiffly starched as his collar meant there was little room for ladies – pleasant creatures though they were – in his tales of intrigue.

When Hitchcock adapted Buchan's 'The 39 Steps', however, he introduced a love interest in a version which Buchan later conceded was better than his own. In this stage version, Patrick Barlow has continued the honourable tradition of mucking around with Buchan's original, keeping the love interest (now elegantly played by new cast member Rachel Pickup) and adding a whirligig of self-conscious theatrical effects in a production where four actors evoke everyone from lingerie salesmen to a housekeeper who screams like a steam-train.

Charles Edwards is Richard Hannay, a gentleman with irony in his soul, able to avert disaster with the merest twitch of a courteous eyebrow – until a mysterious female foreigner is stabbed in his apartment. His flight from London to the Highlands to trace her killer and evade arrest himself is depicted with DIY ingenuity through such props as hatstands which double up as Scotsmen, and three ladders which metamorphose ropily into the Forth Bridge.

The point's to spin the straw of theatrical mediocrity into gold standard comedy, and to watch clowns Rupert Degas and Simon Gregor playing four people at once in a flying frenzy of wigs and accents is one of many highlights. If Buchan had ever done anything as girlie as giggle, surely he would have done it here.

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Name:
Criterion Theatre
Address:
Criterion Theatre 218-223 Piccadilly
London
SW1Y 4XA

Phone:
020 7839 8811
Website:
www.criterion-theatre.co.uk
Transport:
Piccadilly Circus tube
Map
1. Criterion Theatre
  - 218-223 Piccadilly
    London
    SW1Y 4XA
  - 020 7839 8811
  - www.criterion-theatre.co.uk
  - 51.509698,-0.133686

Event phone:
020 7839 8811
Event website:
www.criterion-theatre.co.uk

Categories:
Theatre. West End. Comedy
Type of event:

The 39 Steps 2013

Date Time Price information
Thu May 23

20:00

£12.50-£45. Runs 1hr 35mins
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Fri May 24

20:00

£12.50-£45. Runs 1hr 35mins
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Sat May 25

16:00

£12.50-£45. Runs 1hr 35mins
Buy tickets

20:00
Mon May 27

20:00

£12.50-£45. Runs 1hr 35mins
Buy tickets
Tue May 28

20:00

£12.50-£45. Runs 1hr 35mins
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Wed May 29

15:00

£12.50-£45. Runs 1hr 35mins
Buy tickets

20:00
Thu May 30

20:00

£12.50-£45. Runs 1hr 35mins
Buy tickets
Fri May 31

20:00

£12.50-£45. Runs 1hr 35mins
Buy tickets

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Comments & ratings

(14 ratings)

I have so often been dissapointed when I've visited the theatre...but not this time. It was pure joy ..everything a theatre production should be and such fun.

Hazel Brown Tue Dec 11 2012
Rated as: 5/5
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Very entertaining, fast moving and quick witted. The characters excel and the timing is excellent. A serious story adapted with comic intervention serves up a theatrical treat.

Graeme Bailey Thu Nov 15 2012
Rated as: 5/5
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I went April 2011, really well put together, not a dull moment. Very funny and so worth going.

CultureLover Sun Apr 8 2012
Rated as: 5/5
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i went with my daughter on the 3rd feb not really fancying it but i thoroughly enjoyed it! such talented actors,hard to believe there are only 4 of them! recommended..very good

pauline Fri Feb 10 2012
Rated as: 5/5
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I have been this evening. I suggest everyone to go it's really funny I enjoyed it a lot, and also "partial view" seats are not that bad (especially considering they are half price)

Sara Mon Dec 12 2011
Rated as: 5/5
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Lets Go..!

Verpasseny Mon Nov 21 2011
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I had misgivings about this play but it was wonderful. The four actors wereso accomplished, very very funny, lots of wonderful comedy business and a truly lovely and fun experience. The Theatre is very beautiful, and don't worry about restricted access, the pillars are very narrow, at the back of the stalls you cannot see the boxes and some action goes on there but the inability to see the boxes will not spoil your enjoyment. A great show with plenty of laughs.

Patsydors Wed Mar 16 2011
Rated as: 5/5
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It was really hard to choose in advance between Flea in her ear and 39 steps. After reading reviews and watching clips from Youtube, I end up choosing 39 steps and I am really happy for my decision. Even though 39 steps has been running now 4 years, the cast at least in January 7th show, did not show any signs of boredom. We had a such a great time! We really got good show and laughs for the money!

Maija Hyotylainen Sun Jan 16 2011
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One hour and a half of precise versatile madness. A convincing unravelling of some of Hitchock's cinematic discoveries mixed with a very special theatrical coating appearing only as gulps of magic. Over and over again... Everything that could be done was placed with careful negotiation...brilliant!

mohammed hashem Thu Nov 25 2010
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The 39 Steps

The 39 Steps

The 39 Steps

The 39 Steps

The 39 Steps

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The 39 Steps 2013

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