The 39 Steps
★★★★☆ Fun
Bedlam Theatre: Wed 14 – Sat 17 Oct 2026
Review by Hugh Simpson
The 39 Steps, from EUTC at the Bedlam, is a hugely enjoyable romp. Pacy and impressively staged, it overcomes some problems in performance to create an impressive spectacle.
Patrick Barlow’s play, which won a 2007 Olivier Award for Best New Comedy during a nine-year West End run, is based on Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 film rather than the 1915 John Buchan novel which inspired it. The spy story, with dashing Richard Hannay fleeing a false accusation of murder and uncovering a dastardly plot by foreign agents, is played for laughs.
A scene from EUTC’s The 39 Steps. Pic: Emelia Auster.
One performer (Zephyrus Pettitt) plays Hannay, another (Liliani Lynch) plays three women he encounters, and two more (Rishi Bhardwaj and Megan Downer) are every other character, often switching in the middle of a scene. The staging is deliberately basic, with everything brought into the open and its homespun nature, with attendant shortcomings and mistakes, positively glorified.
This means that it is the opposite of Barlow’s familiar creation The National Theatre of Brent, where the gag is that the hugely over-sincere creators are entirely unaware of their shortcomings. Here, the theatricality of the enterprise is positively celebrated (although the Hitchcock gags are in shorter supply in this production than they tend to be).
speed, commitment and rhythm
For this all to work, it needs to be attacked with speed, commitment and rhythm. With some caveats detailed below, this is achieved. Director Dani J Bryant has fashioned a production of pace and momentum which careers along beautifully, full of sight gags, clever touches (as well as satisfyingly stupid ones) and expert comic timing.
The play is sometimes done without an interval, but this production demonstrates that it really benefits from one. It adds a shape to the whole thing, and it’s a surprise when it comes along, as the first half is such fun that it flies by and it feels like fifteen minutes have passed rather than fifty.
A scene from EUTC’s The 39 Steps. Pic: Emelia Auster.
Instead of the usual RP accent, Pettitt’s Hannay has a transatlantic twang, which takes some getting used to but since the character (as in the movie) is Canadian, it does make sense. Pettitt does have the character’s usual stiff-upper-lip (complete with ‘very attractive pencil moustache’) and a considerable gift for physical comedy.
Lynch is adaptable and accomplished, adding a necessary underplayed touch to the expansiveness. Bhardwaj and Downer, meanwhile, throw themselves with abandon into too many roles to count, with pleasing versatility and to great effect.
impeccable
Technically, the production has some extremely praiseworthy elements. Co-tech managers Alex Kerr Foreman (sound) and Charles Leung (lighting) should be congratulated. There are several moments where the lighting cues need to be accurate to the split-second for the gag to work, and these are impeccable.
Stage manager Audrey Nicholls and set manager Ava Ausman, meanwhile, also deserve mention as the play relies entirely on the effective manipulation of a ridiculous number of props and pieces of furniture.
A scene from EUTC’s The 39 Steps. Pic: Emelia Auster.
However, there are facets of the performance that are less secure. At times the performers seem a little too pleased with themselves, and are in danger of playing to the gallery – or corpsing. Paradoxically, a show that uses the gag of things on stage going wrong or being clearly inadequate needs complete discipline to work.
While part of the joke is that the accents are ridiculous, in a production in Scotland it really would help if some of the Scottish accents weren’t quite so inadequate. And it’s unfathomable how Hannay would be unable to pronounce the name of the political candidate when the poster here reads ‘McCordale’ rather than ‘McCorquodale’.
These are relatively minor objections, however. A major criticism of the play in the past has been that its concentration on comedy, and its very cleverness, tends to make it difficult to relate to and lacking in heart. This isn’t the case here, as there is something very human and undeniably lovable about all of this, as well as it being a wonderfully paced comedy.
Running time: One hour and 50 minutes (including one interval).
Bedlam Theatre, 11B Bristo Place, EH1 1EZ.
Wednesday 14 – Saturday 17 October 2026.
Daily: 7.30pm.
Tickets and details: Book here.
Bedlam website: https://bedlamtheatre.co.uk
Instagram: @ eutcbedlamtheatre
Linktree: @ eutcbedlamtheatre .
Production Instagram: @39steps.eutc
A scene from EUTC’s The 39 Steps. Pic: Emelia Auster.
ENDS
