39 STEPS CELEBRATES 1ST BIRTHDAY | London Theatre Direct

To coincide with the quadruple August birthdays of the play, the original film, Hitchcock and Buchan, The 39 Steps will be holding a celebratory week of events beginning on Monday 13 August (see below).

1 August - the release date for the original film
13 August -108th anniversary of Alfred Hitchcock’s birth
14 August - the first anniversary of the current London stage production
29 August – 132nd anniversary of John Buchan’s birth

Maria Aitken’s critically acclaimed production has been playing to sell-out houses at the Criterion since its transfer (from the Tricycle Theatre) where it continues to delight and thrill audiences and critics alike. As well as winning this year’s Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy, The 39 Steps also won Best New Comedy at the 2007 Whatsonstage.com awards, voted for by theatregoers. The current cast is Jimmy Chisholm, Simon Gregor (who has performed in the show since its first performance at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, as well as the sold out run at the Tricycle and the year in the West End), Rachel Pickup and Robert Portal. Prior to a Broadway run, The 39 Steps will play at the Huntington Theatre, Boston USA from 14th September and runs until 21st October.

Best known as Hitchcock’s 1935 classic movie thriller, The 39 Steps has designs by Peter McKintosh, Lighting Design is by Ian Scott, Sound Design by Mic Pool, and Movement by Toby Sedgwick. The 39 Steps is presented by Edward Snape for Fiery Angel Ltd and Tricycle London Productions Ltd in association with the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

Maria Aitken’s production is performed by four actors playing a minimum of 150 roles and contains every single legendary scene from the award-winning movie – including the chase on the Flying Scotsman, the escape on the Forth Bridge, the first theatrical bi-plane crash ever staged and the sensational death-defying finale in the London Palladium, besides many other favourite cinematic moments, including the memorable and controversial ‘stockings and suspenders’ scene!