The 39 Steps’ evolution dates back to the novel of the same title by John Buchan, published in 1915, Alfred Hitchcock’s film in 1935, then reimagined on stage in 1996 by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon, and then Patrick Barlow in 2005. As eloquently noted by director Damien Ryan, “The stage version winks at the cinematic grammar of Alfred Hitchcock’s style, while revelling in the live magic only theatre can conjure: the clowning, the quick-changes, the metatheatrical mischief.” Which reminds us that there are things that can only happen on a stage that you just cannot execute to the same effect in any other medium.
Boasting 4 actors, 130 characters, and 100 minutes of on-stage action, The 39 Steps is a hilarious take on the original incarnations of this spy thriller. Unashamedly self-reflexive, it pokes fun at the tropes of the genre with a sensational star cast. Although stumbling through some shadow-play (which is never easy to do), the staging, lighting, music, and sound provide a cinematic effect akin to a neo-noir film. Nothing is ever too serious though, and any dramatic theme is met with good old-fashioned slapstick comedy. Guns pop off, people jump through windows, peep through keyholes, and keep on the run via planes, trains, and automobiles.
How could you go wrong with the talent of the Umbilical Brothers, David Collins and Shane Dundas. Icons of the stage, Collins and Dundas run amok, slipping in and out of costumes, wigs, and character. They run between dialects, slow-motion scenes, gender-bending, and, to put it quite simply, have the audience in stitches. The diversity of characters that they both portray is dazzlingly impressive. Collins and Dundas are magic on stage, and entirely in their element. They (have always) worked well together, and alongside the equally spectacular Ian Stenlake and Lisa McCune.
Lisa McCune is our only female performer, with talent to knock your socks off. Gliding across the stage like the star of Riverdance, McCune charms and amuses as the powerful undercover spy, the damsel in distress, the love interest, and everything in between. McCune is a true stage talent whose energy is infectious. Her male companion, Ian Stenlake, is the perfect man on the run (with a very attractive pencil moustache), who maintains high energy throughout the 100-odd minute marathon to answer that big question – what exactly is The 39 Steps?
The 39 Steps is a joyful love letter to the spy thriller, marvellously produced on the Australian stage by four fantastic Australian actors. This iteration reminds its audiences of the magic of the theatre and why it will always live on.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Reviewer attended the opening night on 12 August 2025.
The 39 Steps is playing at The Drama Theatre in the Sydney Opera House until 30 August 2025.
Tickets available here: The 39 Steps | Sydney Opera House
Header image credit: Benny Capp
