Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review
The 39 Steps: a critically acclaimed spy-thriller novel by John Buchan and later hit Alfred Hitchcock movie. Perhaps a story you’ve heard of or even know very well. What I can guarantee, though, is that you’ve never seen this story told quite like this. This October, Derby Theatre and Hull Truck Theatre Productions present a farcical, spoof-tacular retelling of this classic story in a hilarious and utterly bonkers way.
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| Ryan Starling and Kathryn Perkins. Photo by Graeme Braidwood. |
Our story follows protagonist Richard Hanney who unwillingly finds himself entangled in mysterious murder and governmental secrets. Both a man suddenly on the run and also racing to protect his country, Hanney travels from London to Edinburgh in pursuit of the secrets of ‘the 39 steps’ and a man with a missing pinky finger. Along the way, he finds himself hiding in the Scottish Highlands and intertwined with a whole range of mysterious characters, bringing fabulous twists, turns and moments of utter hilarity. Not just the thrilling murder mystery you may expect, but so very much more. Throw in many a ‘subtle’ Hitchcock reference and even some locally specific humour and you create a fabulously farcical evening of entertainment!
With such a small cast of just five actors playing many roles, the players on stage in this production work flat out for the entire two hours of the show. From the curtain up, comedic duo Kathryn Perkins and James Keningdale immediately grab the attention and hearts of the audience. This pair remain endearing throughout the show in their many, many roles, combining fantastic physical comedy with superb timing and brilliantly written one-liners. Moments of fourth-wall breaking cleverly remind the audience that they too are in on the jokes and reflect a brilliant level of self-awareness. The pair are not afraid to go the extra mile to create wonderfully over-the-top caricatures and with every new character comes further squeals of delight from the audience. Costumes support these character transitions seamlessly and add to their comedic effect. Even in the bows, we are treated to further funny moments right until the curtain comes down!
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| Sophie Blood and Ryan Starling. Photo by Graeme Braidwood. |
Playing our leading man role of Richard Hannay is Ryan Starling, who brings a suave and sophisticated performance and plays the perfect ‘British spy’ parody. He is again able to have moments of interaction with the audience that are genuinely hilarious whilst also maintaining the faux serious tone of the satirical thriller genre. As a perfect scene partner, Sophie Bloor matches Starling brilliantly and again shows nuance between the many roles she plays; one moment a German spy, another an afraid Scottish wife and another a love interest for Hannay. You can tell just how much fun this pair are having on stage at all times and this warmth radiates through the theatre, bringing real escapism and light-hearted comedy. Some of my favourite moments of this show, though, came from the performance of ‘understudy’ Tom Mitchell, though I will let you see for yourselves why!
The staging of this production (designed by creative team Jen McGinley, Ian Scott and Chris Lince) also brilliantly lends itself to the comedy it seeks to create whilst also being at moments genuinely impressive. There is a clever blend of technology and traditional theatrics which seamlessly work together and even set changes are a cleverly thought-out part of the show.
Director Cal McCrystal has left no stone unturned in the thought-out small details of this show. I went into this production having no idea of what I would be presented with despite the story’s famous background. On leaving, I’m still not entirely sure how to describe the events of the evening but what I do know is that this was the perfect tonic for a tricky week or the seriousness of the world today.
Whether you’re a fan of slapstick comedy theatre like The Play That Goes Wrong, a huge Hitchcock fan who enjoys seeking out the many Easter egg references, or a total novice just looking for a fun evening of local entertainment, Derby Theatre’s The 39 Steps is just what you need. It would be criminal to miss it!
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The show runs until Saturday 17th October and tickets are available from https://derbytheatre.co.uk/event/39-steps
The show then plays at Hull Truck from Wednesday 21st October to Saturday 14th November 2026 https://www.hulltruck.co.uk/whats-on/drama/the-39-steps/
The show has an 11+ age recommendation due to mild threat and strong language.
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| Kathryn Perkins, Ryan Starling, Sophie Bloor and James Keningale. Photo by Graeme Braidwood. |
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