Ben Righton, Ellie Beaven, Greg Haiste and Nick Holder to Join West End's THE 39 STEPS, 2 Dec

On Monday 2nd December 2013 The 39 Steps welcomes a new cast of four to the Criterion Theatre.

Ben Righton takes on the role of our eponymous hero, Richard Hannay, having been seen most recently on our televisions as the one half of the witty Carling advert duo. Ellie Beaven follows a tremendously busy season at the RSC, where she received acclaim for her roles in Mad World My Masters, Candide and Titus Andronicous, by playing the three wonderful women in Hannay's life; Pamela, Annabella and Margaret.

Greg Haiste and Nick Holder complete the company as the Men who propel Richard Hannay's story along from London to the Highlands of Scotland, and back again.

Greg Haiste is well known for his comedy performances whether that be as a part of the duo Haiste and Lawrence, or onstage with companies such as Peepolykus and Told by an idiot. Nick Holder has most recently appeared on stage, and television, as a key member of the NT50 Company just days before starting rehearsals for The 39 Steps. Nick is also a familiar face to theatre goers having been in the original company of London Road, amongst many other National Theatre productions, and appearing in numerous West End musicals.

Based on John Buchan's 1914 spy thriller The Thirty Nine Steps and adapted for the stage by Patrick Barlow (Desmond Oliver Dingle/The National Theatre of Brent), The 39 Steps is directed by Maria Aitken, with design by Peter McKintosh, lighting by Ian Scott, sound by Mic Pool, and movement by Toby Sedgwick. The 39 Steps is presented by Edward Snape for Fiery Angel and Tricycle London Productions with the West Yorkshire Playhouse. From an original concept by Simon Corble & Nobby Dimon.

The 39 Steps celebrated 7 years in the West End on Tuesday 10th September, 2013. The production has grossed over twenty million pounds since it opened at the Criterion Theatre in 2006. It is now the longest running show in the theatre's 137 year history.

As The 39 Steps enters in to its 8th successful year in the West End it will also be celebrating the show's 3000th performance on Tuesday 3rd December, 2013.

The hilarious multi-award winning show follows dashing hero Richard Hannay in a dangerous tale of cat and mouse from London to Scotland. Four actors play over 130 characters in 100 hilarious minutes

Over the past 7 years, the production has seen more than 40 actors tread its boards and between them they have got through over 3,000 pairs of stockings, 530 O/S maps of Scotland, 38 pairs of handcuffs and 16 suspender belts. Nearly 1 million people have seen the show in London and, with the production having performed in 39 countries including Moscow, Shanghai, Tokyo and Paris, an audience of 3 million have seen the production worldwide.

The tongue-in-cheek production opened at London's Criterion Theatre in September 2006, following short runs at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and London's Tricycle Theatre. The original cast included Rupert Degas, Charles Edwards, Simon Gregor and Catherine McCormack.

The 39 Steps was also famously adapted for screen by Alfred Hitchcock in what is widely regarded as one of the best films from his early period. The stage production references a number of the legendary scene from Hitchcock's 1935 classic movie thriller of the same name including the chase on the Flying Scotsman Train, the escape on the Forth Rail Bridge and the controversial 'stockings and suspenders' scene.

Current cast includes Adam Jackson-Smith [Richard Hannay], Jennifer Bryden [Pamela/Annabella/Margaret], Stephen Critchlow [Man], and Andy Williams [Man]. The current cast's last performance will be on Saturday 30th November, 2013 with the new cast starting performances from Monday 2nd December, 2013.