Brisbane, dust off your trench coats and fix your best brooding glare—The 39 Steps has landed at QPAC, and it’s an absolute romp. Produced by Neil Gooding, this latest staging of the Alfred Hitchcock classic is part thriller, part farce, and entirely a love letter to theatre itself. It’s sharp, stylish, and just the right amount of ridiculous.
For the uninitiated, the story is pure Hitchcock. Our dashing, lonely man-about-town, Richard Hannay, finds himself tangled in a spy plot after a mysterious woman turns up dead in his flat. Suddenly accused of murder, Hannay flees across Scotland, dodging police, charming strangers, and stumbling deeper into the murky world of espionage. The mystery of “The 39 Steps” must be solved to save the day—but the real twist here is how much of the tale is played for laughs.
And oh, the laughs. The Umbilical Brothers are the engine room of this production, and they don’t just steal the show—they play most of it. Between the two of them, they embody dozens of characters, sometimes three at once, shifting accents, costumes and body language with a speed that borders on witchcraft. They are at their best when improvising, nudging scenes into wild territory and cracking not just the audience but their fellow castmates on stage. Entire rows of theatre-goers were wiping away tears, caught between howling laughter and disbelief at how quick the transformations came.
Ian Stenlake makes a suave and likeable Hannay, bringing just the right amount of charm and poise to hold the story together. He’s an excellent anchor for the mayhem swirling around him, though at times you wished he’d push the dial up a notch to fully match the anarchic energy of his co-stars. Still, his steady presence ensures the play never tips too far into chaos, and his chemistry with Lisa McCune gives the piece its heart.
McCune, for her part, is utterly magnetic. She slips between her characters with ease, offering elegance one moment and razor-sharp comic timing the next. She grounds Hannay’s journey while keeping the audience firmly on her side, and her presence adds an undeniable glow to the production. Together, she and Stenlake bring glamour and warmth that balance the Umbilical Brothers’ whirlwind antics.
But it’s not just the cast making the magic. The production design deserves a standing ovation of its own. Every detail embraces the noir aesthetic: costumes and sets rendered in shades of black, white and grey; lighting carved from the chiaroscuro of a vintage detective flick; music straight from the soundtrack of a smoky 1930s thriller. It’s cinematic, moody, and exquisitely realised. Against this serious backdrop, the comedy lands with even more punch.
There’s a cheeky self-awareness threaded through the whole piece. Doors don’t always slam on cue, props misbehave, wigs go rogue—and the cast lean into it with glee. Those moments remind us why live theatre is so irresistible: it’s never the same twice, and the flaws often become the funniest bits. By interval, strangers in the foyer were comparing notes, replaying favourite moments, and already laughing again.
Highlights? The frantic train sequence is a masterclass in timing, the Scottish inn scene delivers belly laughs in rapid-fire, and the chase across the moors proves just how thrilling minimal staging can be when paired with imaginative performances. Every set piece feels like a new game the cast are daring themselves to win.
So, who is this for? Anyone who loves Hitchcock. Anyone who loves comedy. Anyone who just wants to sit in a room full of strangers and laugh until it hurts. This production is fast, furious, stylish, and unapologetically silly—and Brisbane is lucky to have it.
WHAT: The 39 Steps
WHERE: Playhouse, QPAC, Brisbane
WHEN: Now playing
TICKETS: You can grab your tickets to The 39 Steps here.
In her spare time, she likes long walks down the makeup aisle and performing in Brisbane theatre. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and TikTok @thebeautypalate.
