The 39 Steps to close in September
Theatre news
AFTER nine years in the West End, The 39 Steps has posted closing notices. Based on John Buchan’s 1914 spy thriller The Thirty Nine Steps and adapted for the stage by Patrick Barlow, it will complete its run at the Criterion Theatre on September 5, 2015.
The 39 Steps follows the incredible adventures of Richard Hannay – complete with stiff-upper-lip, British gung-ho and pencil moustache – as he goes on the run from police accused of a dastardly murder, dodges double-crossing secret agents, and becomes entangled with several devastatingly beautiful women.
Maria Aitken’s production contains every legendary scene from the award-winning film – including the chase on the Flying Scotsman, the escape on the Forth Bridge, the first theatrical bi-plane crash ever staged and the sensational death-defying finale in the London Palladium. There’s even the memorable and controversial ‘stockings and suspenders’ scene!
The current cast includes Daniel Llewelyn-Williams (as Richard Hannay) and Kelly Hotten (Pamela/Annabella/Margaret) while the myriad other roles are played with breath-taking speed and dexterity by Mike Goodenough and Gary Sefton.
This tongue-in-cheek, award-winning production opened at the Criterion Theatre in September 2006, following short runs at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and London’s Tricycle Theatre.
This Christmas, the team behind The 39 Steps are back with what is described as a sensational, awe-inspiring and unforgettable staging of General Lew Wallace’s timeless classic Ben Hur, which runs at the Tricycle Theatre from November 19, 2015 to January 9, 2016.