The 39 Steps, Abridged

A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

The 39 Steps, Abridged

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  1w, 1m, 2any gender (adult)

Adapted by Patrick Barlow
From the novel by John Buchan

From the movie by Alfred Hitchcock
Licensed by ITV Global Entertainment Limited
And an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon

New 60-minute adaptation! 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 cast of four), an onstage plane crash, handcuffs, missing fingers and some good old-fashioned romance!

Image: 2008 Roundabout Theatre Company Production (Joan Marcus)

The 39 Steps, Abridged

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    1w, 1m, 2any gender (adult)
  • Duration
    Duration
    60 minutes (1 hour)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Farce, Adventure, Mystery/Thriller
  • Suggested Use
    • Competition or Audition Material
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Senior, Pre-Teen (Age 11-13), Teen (Age 14-18)
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! Two 2008 Tony Awards
    Winner! 2008 Drama Desk Award, Unique Theatrical Experience
    Winner! 2007 Laurence Olivier Award, Best New Comedy
    Nominee: Six 2008 Tony Awards, including Best Play
The 39 Steps, Abridged
Also Available
The 39 Steps, Even More Abridged
The 39 Steps

Details

Summary
The 39 Steps, Abridged is a 60-minute version of the hit whodunit, speeding along but never missing any of the comic brilliance and thrilling moments of the full-length play. The shorter version features the most loved and legendary scenes, including the chase on the Flying Scotsman, the escape on The Forth Bridge, the first theatrical bi-plane crash ever staged, and the death-defying (or nearly!) finale at the London Palladium! With four actors playing a minimum of 139 roles, it’s an astonishing theatrical tour de force.
History
The 39 Steps was first performed at the West Yorkshire Playhouse on 17 June 2005. The original London production, by arrangement with Edward Snape for Firery Angel Limited, opened at the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn on 10 August 2006 and transferred to the Criterion Theatre in the West End on 14 September 2006. The play premiered on Broadway at the American Airlines Theatre on 15 January 2008. Directed by Maria Aitken, the production featured Arnie Burton, Charles Edwards, Jennifer Ferrin and Cliff Saunders. 
Keywords
Performing Groups

RICHARD HANNAY
COMPERE
MR MEMORY
ANNABELLA SCHMIDT
HEAVY 1
HEAVY 2
BUSINESS MAN 1
BUSINESS MAN 2
PAPERBOY
PORTER
POLICEMAN 1
POLICEMAN 2
VOICES
PAMELA EDWARDS
RADIO ANNOUNCER
LOUISA JORDAN
PROFESSOR JORDAN
SHERIFF
MR DUNWOODY
MR MCQUARRIE
MRS MCGARRIGLE
MR MCGARRIGLE
SUPERINTENDANT ALBRIGHT

Author's Note:

The 39 Steps, Abridged is the 60-minute (approx.) version of my play The 39 Steps. It is written for four actors. HANNAY is played by one man throughout. The woman plays ANNABELLA and PAMELA. The other two actors, the CLOWNS, play all the other parts. They can be two men, two women or a man and a woman.

NB It is possible (and I have seen it done) to cast the play with a company of at least 50. A bit more expensive but jolly good fun.

  • Time Period 1930s
  • Setting London, Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands. 1935.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Additional Features Physical Comedy
  • Duration 60 minutes (1 hour)
  • Cautions
    • Gun Shots

Media

“Ingenious! A dizzy delight!” – Daily News

“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 - NY Montage youtube thumbnail

    The 39 Steps - NY Montage

  • The 39 Steps - Pamela's Stockings youtube thumbnail

    The 39 Steps - Pamela's Stockings

  • The 39 Steps - Professor Jordan youtube thumbnail

    The 39 Steps - Professor Jordan

  • The 39 Steps - Annabella's Demise youtube thumbnail

    The 39 Steps - Annabella's Demise

  • The 39 Steps - Hannay and the Traveling Salesmen youtube thumbnail

    The 39 Steps - Hannay and the Traveling Salesmen

Show more +

Photos

  • The 39 Steps, Abridged

    Image: 2008 Roundabout Theatre Company Production (Joan Marcus)

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £40 per performance plus VAT when applicable.
    Performance rights for this show are currently heavily restricted in the UK and Ireland. Please submit a licence request to determine availability

Scripts

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Authors

Patrick Barlow

Patrick Barlow

Besides his version of Lew Wallace’s Ben Hur, Patrick Barlow’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 worldwide, winning Olivier, Helpmann ...

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Author

John Buchan

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