Will Noble

Ultimately, if you're after a genuine white-knuckle ride of a crime thriller, The 39 Steps is not it. The narrative doesn't so much escalate into giddy suspension, as merrily skip from one scene to the next. Still, the play remains a showpiece of low budget stage buffoonery, silly voices and whip-smart clowning. More than anything else, it will make you smile. And if that's your jam, then step to it and get yourself a ticket.