Paul Merton to Make Cameo in West End's THE 39 STEPS

Comedian and Hitchcock enthusiast Paul Merton is to make a very special cameo in the hit West End comedy The 39 Steps, for one night only on Thursday 12 March in aid of Comic Relief.

The 39 Steps, which is currently in its ninth award-winning year at the West End's Criterion Theatre, is a laugh-a-minute, fast paced comedy, with a cast of just four actors playing over a hundred roles through the course of the show. Paul will play the mystery killer and the surprise 5th member of the company, whose hand is usually the only body part seen onstage.

Speaking on his involvement with The 39 Steps, Paul said:

'The summit of my career as a West End actor'

Producers for The 39 Steps will raise money for this year's Comic Relief by donating 50% of tickets sales to Thursday night's performance, as well as bucket collections made available in the theatre foyer for audience donation.

After a spell as a Civil Servant Paul Merton began his stand-up career in 1982 at London's Comedy Store and still regularly performs both there and at the Edinburgh Festival. For many years he has been team captain on BBC1's Have I Got News For You, for which he won a BAFTA in 2003, and he has hosted Room 101 on BBC2. Some of Paul's other television credits include Paul Merton - The Series I & II, Paul Merton - My Life of Comedy and Live At The Palladium and he has published two previous books: Paul Merton's History of the Twentieth Centuryand a spoof autobiography, Paul Merton - My Struggle. Paul is also a regular panelist on BBC Radio 4's Just A Minute. He has been a lifelong fan of silent comedy, and his much-acclaimed series Silent Clowns was first broadcast in 2006 on BBC4.

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 follows dashing hero Richard Hannay in a dangerous tale of cat-and-mouse from London to the Scottish Highlands. In this hilarious production four actors play over 130 characters in 100 minutes.

Current cast are Richard Galazka (the eponymous hero Richard Hannay), Alix Dunmore (the three women in Hannay's life, Pamela, Annabella and Margaret) and the myriad other roles are played with breath-taking speed and dexterity by Tim Frances and Daniel Tuite.

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. It is presented by Edward Snape for Fiery Angel and Tricycle London Productions with the West Yorkshire Playhouse. From an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon.

This tongue-in-cheek production opened at the Criterion Theatre in September 2006, following short runs at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and London's Tricycle Theatre.

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