Review: The 39 Steps, UK Tour, at the Theatre Royal, Bath

If you asked me for my list of shows that seemed to come around again and again, but had never got chance to see, The 39 Steps would have definitely been there. Especially as it was one that my Dad mentioned again, and again. 

So, realising the tour was stopping in Bath whilst I was there for my holiday, it seemed the perfect time. 

The 39 Steps was an Alfred Hitchcock classic from 1935, which got adapted for the stage by Patrick Barlow, premiering at West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2005

It then won the Olivier for Best Comedy after its London transfer, and then a Tony nomination after it transferred to Broadway in 2012. 

Set in 1930s London and Scotland, a group of only four actors tell the story of a bachelor who becomes involved in a plot involving murder, spies and secrets; what indeed are The 39 Steps. It's a mystery, it has its thrills, and is funny as hell. This doesn't necessarily come from the script itself, but from how this group of four perform it.

There is only one person who plays one character all the way through, and that is Tom Byrne as Richard, the bachelor suddenly thrown into all this chaos, completely out of his depth. Then you have Safeena Ladha, who played all three of Richards potential love interests. 

But then you have Eugene McCoy (Legally Blonde) and Maddie Rice (Phoebe Waller-Bridge's replacement in Fleabag) as the Clowns - they play, quite literally, everyone else

From bumbling policemen, to Mr Memory and his assistant, an old Scottish couple and more, these two change characters in a second, with a change of a hat or a coat, in just seconds. Even one actor turning one way in one character, and then completely changing accent for another, in the same conversation. The amount of work that must have gone into making it as seamless as it was is outstanding. 

As well as switching characters, the actors were also responsible for working the set at various points, especially swivelling doors. A whole chase scene done with shadow puppetry choreographed by the actors as well was a particular highlight. 

I don't want to spoil anything further so I won't go any further: but know if you have chance to see The 39 Steps, I highly recommend it for a classic mystery and a good laugh. It is one of the funniest pieces of theatre I've seen for a while.