The 39 Steps – Theatre Royal Brighton

Writer: Patrick Barlow, based on the book by John Buchan

Directors: Maria Aitken and Nicola Samer

This funny and pacey adaption of an Alfred Hitchcock spy thriller classic wows and delights a Brighton audience with its pure escapism into a bygone era.

John Buchan’s 1915 book of The 39 Steps has been successfully adapted many times and is about to be revisited again with Benedict Cumberbatch at the helm. However, it is the 1930’s film made by Hitchcock, starring Robert Donat and Madeline Carroll that endures, with Film maker Orson Welles calling it a “masterpiece”. It is also what this Tony and Olivier award winning play is based on.

As the piece starts we meet our hero, Richard Hannay (Tom Byrne) in a bit of a funk. Coming back from South Africa to his London residence he feels his life lacks excitement and meaning, he is listless.

This all changes with one visit to the theatre where he meets an enigmatic stranger who tells him a tale of national secrets about to be smuggled out of the country by foreign agents which Hannay finds incredulous until the mystery woman is killed in his apartment leaving a map he can follow to find out more. So, as chief suspect in her murder, he leaves, in disguise, for Scotland to follow the clues, to stop the secret from leaving the UK and clear his name. All the while being perused by the police and dark agents on the side of evil.

Copying the film scene by scene the four actors in the cast play out the drama and humour very well. Byrne as Hannay captures the “upper-class gent in a fix” role wonderfully as the character bumbles through one situation to another, trying not to be noticed or placed in jail. He relishes the physicality of the role and performs several stunts with aplomb, to the audible gasps of surprise from the audience.

Safeena Ladha is excellent playing the three female lead roles. It is as Pamela, Hannay’s reluctant hand cuffed companion, where she really shines. In a parody it is easy to be surrounded by two dimensional characters but Ladha’s Pamela is well rounded and thoughtfully created allowing those watching to really believe in the burgeoning, yet tempestuous, romance between the two leads.

Eugene McCoy and Maddie Rice are perfectly cast as the clowns taking on a wide variety of personas and eccentric characters that Hannay comes across while he is on the run. Some fo the best clowning is when Rice plays men and McCoy plays women. A particularly funny section sees McCoy and Rice playing a living moorland creating obstacles in the way of the travellers. Which leads to fabulous short breaking of the fourth wall exchange. This device is used well at several points and adds an increased depth of mirth to the piece.

The play is very funny from start to finish. The use of minimalist props and devices are excellently handled. Chair and trolleys are used as a car, make shift windows are cleverly escaped through and multiple characters are used for maximum comedy effect.

The source material here is exemplary to start with and the production has used it well to create a captivating comedic hit that will run and run. A night of perfect escapism for a very appreciative Brighton throng.

Also watch out for the cleverly placed Alfred Hitchcock cameo in the play. Something which Hitchcock delighted in doing in the vast majority of his films.

Runs to 20th July.