REVIEW: THE 39 STEPS Is A Madcap Spoof Of Classic Movie Mysteries

Tuesday 12th August 2025, 7:30pm, Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House

Patrick Barlow’s stage adaptation of Alred Hitchcock’s THE 39 STEPS is a madcap spoof of the black and white murder mystery movies featuring the clowning and comedy antics of the Umbilical Brothers (David Collins and Shane Dundas).  With a cast of 4, rounded out by Lisa McCune and Ian Stenlake, the 130 characters ranging from police, spies, farmers and hoteliers and more are presented with ingenuity by Director Damien Ryan.

Based on Hitchcock’s 1935 British spy thriller film, a “loose” adaptation of John Buchan’s 1915 novel, THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS, this interpretation keeps the 1935 plot line but removes any semblance of seriousness as it serves as more of an irreverent homage to the era of black and white films,  The plot centres on Richard Hannay, a unassuming bachelor who has returned to London after living abroad.  In an effort to pass the time, he’s found himself at a music-hall theatre performance when during “Mr Memory’s” performance gunshots ring out and the beautiful Annabella Smith seeks sanctuary at his apartment.  She discloses she is a freelance spy hiding from assassins that know she is trying to uncover a plot to steal military secrets.  As part of the information that Hannay doesn’t really believe, she also mentions “The 39 Steps” and a need to see a map of Scotland.  When Hannay is woken to her warning to flee, before he discovers she’s been stabbed, Hannay unwittingly finds himself at the centre of the mystery and the man hunt that takes him from London to the Scottish Highlands.

As the work honours the black and white movies, set and Costume Designer James Browne has created a monochrome aesthetic, right down to the performers faces bearing a layer of white makeup.  The set comprises of moving panels that look like a black and white Mondrain painting of black bordered cubes and rectangles.  Depth is implied with forced perspective asymmetrical doors and windows and set elements are kept relatively sparse to allow for the movement and physicality to tell the story rather than the set dressing.  Shadow projection onto a rear scrim allows for extra comic elements and implied scenes.  While Stenlake is constant as Hannay, the other three performers utilise costume changes throughout with some hilarious quick changes taking place.  Brady Watkins sound design and compositions are woven in to play on the idea of foley artists providing the sound effects and themes with the comic element increased by the lags in sound purposefully not lining up with the actions. 

As Hannay, Stenlake’s acting style provides the balance between the absurdity of the work and the protagonist’s sense of “normality” and sensibility amongst the madness while he ensures the presentation plays into the caricature of the classic movie hero with a certain deliberation with nothing expressed as the intuitive expression favoured by modern movies.  As all the female characters, McCune’s similar deliberate style also plays into the comedy and farce of the work as for this production the intention is to see the absurdity of the direction rather than represent ‘real’ people. 

The highlight of the production is however David Collins and Shane Dundas, “The Umbilical Brothers”.  They provide wonderful slapstick humour and clown along with fabulous accents as they take on the majority of the secondary characters.  The ability to weave between the different roles with the use of costumes and their own physicality and vocal variety makes the changes easily identifiable.

While the work has brilliantly funny moments the degree of repetition does get overplayed making the it feel like the performance has been padded out a little too far at times.  There is some good comedy ‘shelving’ and fun references to other classic movies that add to the idea that this is celebrating and spoofing old movies. 

THE 39 STEPS is a ridiculous piece of fun theatre that provides an easy escape from the real world for an evening.  Go with an open mind and no expectation that you’ll experience any sort of direct honouring of Hitchcock’s cinematic inspiration and you’ll have a great night.

The 39 Steps | Australia

Photos: Cameron Grant

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