Right rollicking parody The 39 Steps roars back to life in this terrifically cast new Australian tour. 

Old enough, at twenty years of age, to be termed a classic, The 39 Steps previously toured Australia, winning a Helpmann Award in 2009. The much loved work has played in more than 40 countries and stands as one of the longest running plays in West End history. 

Based on John Buchan’s 1915 novel, 1935 Alfred Hitchcock film The 39 Steps sparked a gripping form of storytelling entertainment that pays dividends through the James Bond franchise and continues unabated through Slow Horses and beyond. 

Patrick Barlow’s 2005 stage adaptation, based on earlier concept, has the ingenious idea of hurtling through the spy thriller with a cast of only four. The action of the story is simultaneously upheld and parodied, the adventuresome plot providing a sturdy framework for the merry lampooning of cinematic techniques. 

After nobly sheltering mysterious femme fatale Annabella Smith, handsome everyman Richard Hannay is forced to flee for his life, a suspect for Annabella’s murder. Saved, at various points, by a milkman, a herd of sheep, and a hymnbook, the intrepid Hannay is determined to discover the truth about “The 39 Steps.”

In this new production, accomplished director Damien Ryan delivers crisp storytelling and memorable characters. Although the laugh rate occasionally lags, there is plenty of ripping comedy, and when the pace picks up it really flies. An early highlight sees an intricately choreographed swapping of hats to portray a breathless parade of characters on a train platform. Ryan ensures that the dramatic stakes of the story remain enthralling no matter how hard the audience is laughing. 

With visual style as vital as acting, designers for the new staging capably provide a bold, witty playfield that perfectly complements the comedy. Set and costume designer James Browne pays homage to Hitchcock’s film with a shimmering greyscale palette, giving the very convincing effect of watching a black-and-white movie live on stage. Browne plays with perspective using sharp angles to conjure the type of 3-D effects that a movie creates on a 2-D screen. 

Browne’s costumes allow four actors to play a wildly differing set of characters, with some of the biggest laughs of the night coming from rapid-fire changes of costumes within a scene. 

In collaboration with lighting designer Matthew Marshall, Browne backs up the animated projections with fabulous use of shadow play. The drawback of this approach is that stage action is lit from the sides rather than from the front, occasionally creating unwanted shadows on the actors. Nonetheless, it would be hard to imagine the production without the silhouettes and shadows, a highlight of which is the iconic train chase scene. 

Sound designer Brady Watkins adds further laughs with sound effects and compositions that cleverly poke fun at film noir conventions.

It is hard to imagine a more ideal cast for this production. Ryan not only makes full use of their inherent gifts but also pushes each of them to expand their already considerable ranges.

On stage for basically every minute of the play, Ian Stenlake strikes the perfect balance between heroic leading man and winking comic actor. The only performer to play the same role throughout, Stenlake instantly forms a bond with the audience and confidently takes them along for a wild ride. 

Creating a wonderfully varied trio of roles, Lisa McCune flits from ill-fated femme fatale to headstrong woman to blithely skipping young Scottish wife. McCune deftly takes the central role of Pamela from hapless train passenger to indignant victim to invaluable co-conspirator. Drawing upon their well established chemistry, McCune and Stenlake nimbly ratchet up the sexual tension between Pamela and Hannay, reaching a peak in a deliberately daffy scene in which they cannot physically resist each other as they speak. 

Known collectively as The Umbilical Brothers, David Collins and Shane Dundas find a fitting showcase for their talents in The 39 Steps. Playing all of the supporting roles, and often more than one each at a time, Collins and Dundas expertly provide the bulk of the comedy opposite the relatively ”straight” roles played by McCune and Stenlake. 

Comical chameleons, Collins and Dundas blend physical comedy with finely detailed character work. Most impressively, each seizes their chance to play at least one dramatic role, with Collins adding tension as a surly Scottish crofter and Dundas completely insidious as the devilish Professor Jordan. Comic highlights include Collins’ deliciously affected wife of Professor Jordan, and Dundas’ endearing creation of Mr Memory. 

A heady blend of stylistic and characterful comedy, the laughs are plentiful in The 39 Steps. Little knowledge is required of the original film for a very enjoyable time at the theatre.

The 39 Steps plays at Comedy Theatre, Melbourne until . For tickets, click here. 

The 39 Steps plays at QPAC Playhouse, Brisbane 7-19 October 2025. For tickets, click here.

Photos: Cameron Grant