Posted: 21 May

 

Following hotly on the heels of last week’s opening night at Pitlochry Festival Theatre is the Scottish premiére of the Olivier Award-winning comedy caper The 39 Steps.

Pictured: Kathryn Ritchie and Dougal Lee in rehearsal

Inspired by John Buchan’s gripping spy novel and Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic 1935 film, Patrick Barlow’s hilarious, spectacular adaptation brings the greatest adventure story of the 20th century triumphantly to the stage, complete with such legendary scenes as the chase on the Flying Scotsman, the escape on the Forth Bridge, the biplane crash, the election meeting, the night in the McGarrigle Hotel – and the death-defying finale at the London Palladium! 

With a cast of four playing 139 roles between them, The 39 Steps will be one of the most astonishing theatrical spectacles ever seen at PFT (and that really is saying something!). The 39 Steps previews on Thursday 24th May, 8pm and runs in rep until Saturday 13th October.

 

 

Play synopsis:

Seeking entertainment at a West End variety show, the handsome adventurer Richard Hannay instead encounters the mysterious Annabella Schmidt – who’s not just beautiful, but also rather handy with a gun. At Hannay's flat, Annabella reveals that she is trying to prevent a state secret being smuggled out of Britain by a mysterious spy organization . . . and that two of their men are on her trail . . .

Hannay awakes the next day to find Annabella dead – and himself framed for her murder! His only chance to clear his name? To expose the organization that killed her. But Annabella has left him just three clues to pursue: the gang's leader is missing the tip of his little finger; they’re connected to a place named Alt-na-Shellach in the Scottish Highlands; and they’re called . . . The 39 Steps.