Dramaturgy | The 39 Steps
This week, we are delving in to the history behind our next production, The 39 Steps, opening January 30 - March 8. It has been through many versions, each of them leading to the comedic play we know and love today. Read on to find out the fascinating history of The 39 Steps.
The 39 Steps began its legacy as a book written in 1915 by John Buchan, a Scottish author, while recovering from an illness in his bed. The complete opposite of his usual Historical writings following World War 1, Buchan took liberties to heighten Richard Hannay’s spy adventure across the country side. It became a classic, lending to distract people from what was happening in the world around them.
Buchan’s gripping story of spies and intrigue inspired many authors, including Graham Greene and James Bond's creator Ian Fleming, as well as the film director Alfred Hitchcock, leading to many adaptations through the years.
Perhaps the most well known adaptation is Director Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 film of the same title. There were big story shifts in Hitchcock’s version including a night out to London’s West End, new female main characters and constricting handcuffs, but the story retained its integrity. The film was a hit, being voted the best British film of 1935 by The Examiner in a public poll and was the 17th most popular film at the British box office in 1935–36.
In 1999, the British Film Institute ranked it the fourth best British film of the 20th century;[16] in 2004, Total Film named it the 21st greatest British movie ever made, and in 2011 ranked it the second-best book-to-film adaptation of all time.[17] In 2017 a poll of 150 actors, directors, writers, producers and critics for Time Out magazine saw it ranked the 13th best British film ever.
2008 Broadway Production
The 39 Steps saw its next big transformation in 1995 when Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon wrote the first version of the play on a £1,000 Yorkshire Arts Grant. The two discussed what aspects of the book or film to keep and paired the casting down to 4 actors through rehearsals and improvisation. The parody show toured for a number of years, seeings some success along the way. It wasn’t until Patrick Barlow rewrote the script in 2005, refocusing the plot on Hitchcock’s film, that it would found its way to London’s West End in 2006 and won the 2007 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. The show ran for 9 years, making it the fifth longest running play in West End history.
The 39 Steps premiered on Broadway in a Roundabout Theatre production at the American Airlines in January of 2008, under the direction of the London production’s director, Maria Aitken. It ran until January 10, 2010 after 771 performances before transferring to off-Broadway in March of 2010.
The Broadway production won the 2008 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience, along with two 2008 Tony® Award for Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design. It was nominated for Best Play, Best Director, Best Costume Design, Best Scenic Design for the 2008 Tony® Awards as well.
Other adaptations include
On 1 August 1939, Orson Welles starred in a radio adaptation of the novel on The Mercury Theatre on the Air.
Glenn Ford starred in an adaptation on 23 March 1948 broadcast of Studio One with Everett Sloane, Mercedes McCambridge and Kathleen Cordell.
Dick Davis and Jim Lavery's adapted The 39 Steps into a comic book in 1950
Herbert Marshall starred in an adaptation of The 39 Steps on Suspense on radio, on 3 March 1952.
A color film of 'The 39 steps' was released in 1959 starring Kenneth More and directed by Ralph Thomas. This was followed by another version starring Robert Powell in 1978. Both were filmed in Scottish locations.
A BBC television adaptation starring Rupert Penry-Jones in 2008.
A video game for the computer by the same title released in 2013 that is available on Steam.
