It’s been almost exactly three years since we last reviewed the Bruiser and Lyric co-production of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic movie The 39 Steps, and as it turns out Chris reviewed that one, so I had the pleasure of this being my first exposure of this fast-paced, hilarious and madcap play!

Gasp in astonishment at the breathtaking adventures of our dashing hero Richard Hannay as he grapples with dastardly murderers, double-crossing secret agents and devastatingly beautiful women. Whoop with delight as he narrowly escapes from a succession of hair-raising escapades.  And hoot with laughter as he and his fellow characters deliver some of the funniest one-liners you’ll hear on stage all year.

Lyric Theatre

Almost identical to the 2016 production (or so I’m told), actors Hannah Brackstone-Brown, Michael Condron, and Michael Johnston are back playing their well-trodden roles, whilst newbie Benjamin Stratton must have had quite the job catching up with the original actors, a task that he seems to have conquered with little trouble. With no fewer than 139 roles being played by these four talented actors, The 39 Steps is a joy to watch as the story unfolds on the stage before us.

With direction from Lisa May, and set design by Stuart Marshall, the production follows Bruiser’s motto of ‘minimum set for maximum impact‘ to a tee and we see some well chosen props and sets being used sparingly to create delightful havoc on stage whilst letting the actor’s delivery really stand out above all else. Speaking of delivery, from the more serious lines and the straight up jokes to the not-so-hidden-references to Hitchcock’s other films the dialogue is a joy to watch.

Michael Condron is a personal favourite of mine, and he along with Benjamin Stratton have the audience in stitches from the second they appear to the second they disappear from view. Michael Johnston plays the leading role of Richard Hannay with all of the verve and vigour of a true 1930’s gentleman, and Hannah Brackstone-Brown is every bit the femme fatale.

All in all this is a stellar cast and a stellar production, and one that I would be more than happier to come back and see next week, never mind in three year’s time!

The 39 Steps is on at the Lyric theatre until 31st March, to find out more info or to book tickets click here.

Laura Caldwell

Author: Laura Caldwell

Hi, I'm Laura. I'm 30 years old and have a degree in Journalism with Photo-Imaging at the University of Ulster. I have an undying love for Belfast and all that it has to offer, an undying love for sleeping, Tegan and Sara, trashy tv shows, foreign snack-foods and being irresponsible with money. I also quite like origami, reading, jazz, hip-hop, dubstep, anything acoustic and Food Network TV. I've written for The Big List, Culture NI, Chatterbox and The Echo, as well as writing for BBC Across the Line.