When an attractive secret agent is killed in a bored poncy Englishman’s apartment, what’s a man to do except go on a countryside chase to find out the secret behind her death?

Such is the premise of The 39 steps. Originally a novel by Scottish writer John Buchan, it became one of Alfred Hitchcock’s cult movies and was then turned into a stage production by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon. This performance, directed by Maria Aitken, strays substantially from the novel but the result is pure, hilarious fun.

Richard Hannay (Mark Pegler) finds himself accused of murdering a girl in his London appartment and, in an effort to clear his name, goes on a goosechase around the Scottish moors and highlands in order to find the real killers. It’s a simple who-done-it and the scenes have been replayed in many crime thrillers (not to mention over 20 James Bond movies) but the basic plot allows the audience to appreciate the quality production values of this polished, original performance.

The cast are really what make this piece so enjoyable to watch. Only four members strong, they manage to credibly portray about 20 characters between them, with a highlight being the well-timed, choreographed sequences in which Jo Turner and Russell Fletcher play multiple characters having conversations with each other, much to the amazement of the audience.

Helen Christinson is brilliant as many female characters although her best performance is by far that of the sultry secret agent. The accents of her other characters, however, seem to hover between about five different countries, which confused me. But that would be nit-picking, and it is but a minor shortfall of an extremely capable and professional actress.

The set is simple yet effective, with the one door and window frame put to good use. The lighting, directed by Jon Buswell, is fantastic, adding a depth to imaginative scenes. It creates the illusion of police searchlights, the spotlights of theatre, even the flickering lights of an approaching train.

The 39 Steps is highly farcical and camp, poking fun at itself and the tricks of the theatre in almost every scene. Watch out for the not-so-subtle references to hitchcock movies. Overall, it is highly entertaining and more than once made me think that this is theatre at its best, this is how theatre should be – entertaining, suspenseful and well-executed.