San Francisco Playhouse Presents Riotous, Rip-Roaring Riff On Hitchcock Thriller THE 39 STEPS, March 7 – April 20

With inventive stagecraft and masterful performances, four nimble actors play more than 100 characters in this spoof that is equal parts slapstick comedy and film noir.

By: Dec. 18, 2023
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]San Francisco Playhouse continues its season with The 39 Steps, a fast-paced farce that riffs on the Alfred Hitchcock thriller of the same name. Following a mysterious murder, all-action hero Richard Hannay launches on a high-speed chase from a London music hall to Scotland's highlands, where he must dodge devious spies, woo beautiful bombshells, and attempt to reveal secrets of The 39 Steps, an international spy ring.

With inventive stagecraft and masterful performances, four nimble actors play more than 100 characters in this riotous spoof that is equal parts slapstick comedy and film noir thriller. Comedian and playwright Patrick Barlow's stage adaptation debuted at London's Tricycle Theatre before transferring to the West End, where it won the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy and ran for nearly a decade. The Roundabout Theatre Company's Broadway production was nominated for six Tony Awards including Best Play.

The New York Times named The 39 Steps a Critic's Pick and deemed it “absurdly enjoyable, gleefully theatrical. A perfect soufflé,” while New York Post declared it “the most entertaining show on Broadway.” San Francisco Playhouse Producing Director and Co-Founder Susi Damilano, who recently directed the Playhouse's hit production of the whodunit Clue, returns to the scene of the crime(s) with this rollicking comedy

For tickets ($15-$125) and more information, the public may visit https://www.sfplayhouse.org/sfph/2023-2024-season/the-39-steps/ or call the box office at (415) 677-9596 (open Tue-Fri, 1:00pm-6:00pm).



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