Defying the thought that the theatre can occasionally lack vim and vigor, The 39 Steps blasts that adage to bits. The almost manic level of energy on stage keeps the audience on their toes and fully engaged with plentiful amounts of laughter. 

Based oh so loosely on the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name, this production features just four cast members, who between them play a dizzying number of roles. Sometimes these characters are delivered in such quick succession you have to really hustle to keep up.

The cast features TV stars Lisa McCune (Blue Heelers) and Ian Stenlake (Stingers) and those masters of vocal and physical comedy The Umbilical Brothers – David Collins and Shane Dundas. Together the create a maelstrom of humorist energy. This would be one tired cast at the show’s conclusion.

Feeling very British in its comedic ethos and timing as well as dipping into that countries penchant for sound effects hilarity, The 39 Steps crackles with comic intensity. The play is currently on at the QPAC Playhouse for a limited run until the 19th October.
Rob Hudson

The 39 Steps
7-19 October 2025
Playhouse, QPAC
www.qpac.com.au

Mix Alfred Hitchcock’s classic spy thriller with a dash of Monty Python-style chaos, and you get The 39 Steps – a turbo-charged, Olivier and Tony Award-winning comedy smash. After thrilling more than 3 million fans across 39 countries – from London’s West End to Broadway – this international sensation is reimagined and coming to Australia.

Directed by acclaimed theatre-maker Damien Ryan and starring two of Australia’s most beloved talents: Lisa McCune (Blue Heelers, Sea Patrol, The King and I) Ian Stenlake (Sea Patrol, Stingers) and The Umbilical Brothers (David Collins and Shane Dundas), The 39 Steps is ready to make its way across Australia in an unmissable national tour this year.

Join the suave but unsuspecting Richard Hannay as he finds himself framed for murder and tangled in a web of spies, secrets, and seductive strangers. To clear his name, he must outrun the law, outwit international agents, and survive a string of increasingly absurd adventures.

In just 100 minutes of non-stop action, four fearless actors play 130 roles in a dazzling display of quick changes, inventive stagecraft, and high-energy hilarity. A gripping fast-paced comedy thriller that will leave you breathless with laughter.

The 39 Steps
7-19 October 2025
Playhouse, QPAC
www.qpac.com.au