The West End’s longest-running comedy The 39 Steps – adapted by Patrick Barlow and directed by Maria Aitken – visits Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts from March 1^st.
This blissfully funny show follows the incredible adventures of our handsome hero Richard Hannay, complete with stiff upper lip, British gung-ho and pencil moustache as he encounters dastardly murders, double-crossing secret agents, and, of course, devastatingly beautiful women. A cast of 4 fearless actors plays over 139 roles in 100 minutes of fast-paced fun and thrilling action.
Maria Aitken’s multi award-winning production contains every single legendary scene from the 1935 classic Hitchcock movie thriller, including the chase on the Flying Scotsman, the escape on the Forth Bridge, the first theatrical bi-plane crash ever staged and the sensational death-defying finale in the London Palladium, as well as the ‘stockings and suspenders scene’, considered controversial at the time of the film’s release.
RADA trained actor Dugald Bruce Lockhart who plays lead Richard Hannay actually had a relative who was an international spy. His great uncle Bertie, aka Robert ‘Bertie’ Bruce Lockhart (1887-1920), served as British Vice Consul in Moscow in 1911 – 1917 and was sent home just before the October Russian Revolution on account of an unsuitable extramarital affair (see attached document).
The other cast members are Katherine Kingsley as Annabella/Margaret/Pamela, Dan Starkey as Man 1 and Richard Braine as Man 2.

Patrick Barlow commented on the production: “We have four very skilled actors in the show – and they need to be. Where else would they get the opportunity to run out on stage as an old lady, come off and then go back on minutes later as an underworld villain. And as director, Maria brings enormous wit and very funny visual ideas. This production has everything: comedy, thrills and romance.”

There have been 28 productions around the world of The 39 Steps, including productions in Seoul and Tel Aviv, while Italy are now in their second year. In the West End the production has won the Olivier and Whatsonstage Awards for Best Comedy and in the US the Broadway production won two Tony Awards and two Drama Desk Awards.