The 39 Steps

by  Patrick Barlow, John Buchan

Full Length Play, Comedy  /  3m, 1f

Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have The 39 Steps, a fast-paced whodunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre! This two-time Tony® and Drama Desk Award-winning treat is packed with nonstop laughs, over 150 zany characters (played by a ridiculously talented cast of four), an onstage plane crash, handcuffs, missing fingers, and some good old-fashioned romance!

Read more +
The 39 Steps

The 39 Steps

by  Patrick Barlow John Buchan

Get the script
License Estimator

Use this tool for cost estimates based on your specific needs.

Request license

The 39 Steps

  • Cast Size

    Cast Size

    3m, 1f
  • Duration

    Duration

    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre

    Subgenre

    Farce, Adventure, Mystery/Thriller
  • Accolades

    Accolades

    Tony, Olivier, From Broadway, From West End
  • Audience

    Target Audience

    • Adult
    • Senior
    • Pre-Teen (Age 11 - 13)
    • Teen (Age 14 - 18)

Additional Info

In The 39 Steps, a man with a boring life meets a woman with a thick accent who says she’s a spy. When he takes her home, she is murdered. Soon, a mysterious organization called “The 39 Steps” is hot on the man’s trail in a nationwide manhunt that climaxes in a death-defying finale! A riotous blend of virtuoso performances and wildly inventive stagecraft, The 39 Steps amounts to an unforgettable evening of pure pleasure! 

Read more +

Accolades

  • Winner! 2008 Tony® Award: Best Lighting Design, Best Sound Design
    Winner! 2008 Drama Desk Award, Unique Theatrical Experience
    Winner! 2007 Laurence Olivier Award, Best New Comedy
    Nominee! 2008 Tony® Award: Best Play, Best Director, Best Costume Design, Best Scenic Design

Reviews


“Theatre at its finest! [...] Absurdly enjoyable! This gleefully theatrical riff on Hitchcock's film is fast and frothy, performed by a cast of four that seems like a cast of thousands." - The New York Times, 

Videos

  • The 39 Steps
  • The 39 Steps
  • The 39 Steps
  • The 39 Steps
  • The 39 Steps
More videos +

Keywords

Betrayal, Death, Love

Considerations

Performing Groups

  • High School/Secondary
  • College Theatre / Student
  • Community Theatre
  • Dinner Theatre
  • Professional Theatre
  • Large Stage
  • Blackbox / Second Stage /Fringe Groups

Cautions

  • Artboard 3 Gun Shots

License details

  • Minimum Fee: $125 per performance

Production

Details

  • Time Period: 1930s
  • Duration: 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Setting: Various setttings and locations througout Europe. 
  • Additional Features: Physical Comedy
  • Features / Contains: Period Costumes

Casting

3m, 1f
RICHARD HANNAY
ANNABELLA SCHMIDT/PAMELA/MARGARET
MAN #1
MAN #2
See all +

Cast Attributes

  • Ensemble cast
  • Expandable casting
  • Flexible casting
  • Strong Role for Leading Man (Star Vehicle)
  • Strong Role for Leading Woman (Star Vehicle)

Resources

Available Services

Scripts

The 39 Steps

More

Authors

Patrick Barlow

Patrick Barlow

Besides his version of Lew Wallace’s Ben Hur, Patrick’s Olivier-nominated adaptation of A Christmas Carol has played off-Broadway and London’s West End while his 4-person adaptation of The 39 Steps has played in over forty countries world-wide, winning Olivier, Helpmann, Moliere and Tony Awards and making Patrick the m ...

View full profile
John Buchan

John Buchan

The 39 Steps premiered on Broadway in January of 2008, under the direction of Maria Aitken.

Now Playing

Community Experiences