The Sydney Opera House is one of the most illustrious venues in the world and so expectations are always high when a production is held between the iconic sails. Combined with the name Alfred Hitchcock, the atmosphere was palpable for the opening night of The 39 Steps, which is an adaptation of the iconic film that is touring around the country in the second half of the year. 

The production team, led by director Damien Ryan and producers Neil Gooding and Alex Woodward, have assembled a stellar cast led by Ian Stenlake and Lisa McCune who are incredibly well supported by The Umbilical Brothers, David Collins and Shane Dundas. The acting is where this production is at its strongest, with Collins and Dundas especially stealing every scene that they are in with fantastic timing and physical comedy. It is a real treat to see four performers of this calibre sharing the stage and they absolutely live up to the hype.

The play itself is a little more of a mixed bag. While based on Hitchcock’s film, it takes more of a slapstick approach to the material, following Hannay who is suspected of the murder of a mysterious spy as he moves around Scotland trying to protect state secrets and the future of the British nation. 

The plot is certainly intriguing however, it drags a little with a fair bit of repetition meaning that it is not as twisty as one might expect. While the advertised length is 100 minutes, plus an interval, there is an extra 30 minutes of stage time which means that some of the energy created by the performers is lost. 

The physical comedy and the skill of the performers holds the play together, with a number of technically difficult skits pulled off very well but the text of the play does not quite live up to the brilliance of the physical comedy. The play feels very much of a bygone era, which has a certain appeal to it, but a bit more modernisation would have certainly helped at times. 

The show requires a great deal of backstage brilliance to shine, and the stagecraft is handled fantastically. James Browne’s set design is clever and befitting of the production, adding to the humour at key moments. Matthew Marshall’s lighting and Brady Watkins’ compositions also add to the ambiance, very much immersing the audience in the production and providing the suspense which is necessary for the play to work. 

Overall, this is a strong play, with superb acting and technical excellence which makes it an amusing watch for the audience. While some of the verbal humour doesn’t land as well and the script perhaps could be modernised a little, this is still a highly entertaining watch for those who love spy thrillers with a comedic twist. As this tours around the country, expect interest to remain very high. 

Rating: ★★★★

The 39 Steps plays at the Sydney Opera House until 30^th August and then tours nationally. For more information, click here.  

All photo credits: Cameron Grant