39 Steps

We attended 39 steps because we had some discounted tickets. It is a revival show and we heard it was good when it was first on so we tried it. The show was funny, entertaining and worth the visit.
When you get to the theater they hand you a red nose to wear. It definitely lightens the mood.
39 steps is a 1915 vaudeville novel which was adapted to a play in 2005 (according to Wikipedia). It is a four person who where each actor plays many characters.
The actor are very talented. The show is very entertaining. It is a good solid off-​braodway show.
A+

Best «small» play I’ve seen yet terms of humor and acting talent. Highly recommend you eschew the expensive Broadway musicals for a night, and check this play out instead in nearby Union Square. 4 actors constantly change roles, and use very clever props to keep the action going throughout. Very talented actors.
The plot keeps twisting and turning keeping the audience engaged throughout. No danger of falling asleep in this play!

Very clever and a MUST for Hitchcock fans, theater lovers and slapstick lovers.
Very novel, creative use of props and excellent acting.

I am not a big time person that sees that many plays, I am more of a sports fan or just going out to a bar for the night kind of person but this play was really worth seeing. I had not gotten the tickets from Unilocal like some people but I did have a great time and loved the 100 mins of this time. Hard to believe only 4 actors did play all these roles. The guy who played Richard Hanney was great and the entire cast really. I had really good seats maybe because I happened to see it on a Sunday. Would love to see it again, hopefully soon.

So much fun with just 4 witty cast members performing more than a hundred roles with nothing more than old-​school theatrics! The only thing lost on me was why the ushers had clown noses on.

Had no idea what to expect, as my friend and I won tickets from redeeming Dave and Busters points (available in the Times Square location). We ended up getting center orchestra seats, which were nice. The theater is small, so I’m sure any seat is fine.
We were given clown noses upon entry, which was cute, but pointless. My biggest applause of this show goes to Clown 1 and 2, for being such brilliant, diverse actors to embody several roles. However, the jokes in the show are run into the ground. What was funny/​unexpected the first time around (such as deliberately messing up) becomes very overplayed the 7^th time around and 39 Steps does this often.
Their use of human props and their minimal budget is great (I enjoyed the train scene). However, the story really was all over the place and just a foundation to crack jokes upon. The ending was very unsatisfactory.
The actors/​actress themselves are fantastic with pretty great accents, but the story/​jokes need some work.

I got a pair of discount tickets to 39 Steps from Goldstar, and didn’t have a high expectation for the show when I entered the Union Square Theater. Upon entrance, we received a free red clown nose «as a way to spread the fun.»
The show started a couple minutes after 8pm. I didn’t read the plot before because I find it more amusing to step in to the theater not knowing what to expect. Only after the show did I find out that 39 Steps is a two-​time Tony Award-​winning hit comedy that rsumed performances on April 1, 2015 at the Union Square Theatre… just 39 steps east of Broadway.
The show is a comedic spoof of the classic 1935 film, and features only 4 actors portraying more than 150 characters (namely the role of «Clown #1» and «Clown #2») and often changing roles in the blink of an eye. In the show, the protagonist Richard Hannay from London tries to find the truth behind a mysterious organization of spies called The 39 Steps, all the while running away from the «police» for a murder he did not commit.
The highlight of the show was definitely the acting. Sometimes it was a little too over-​the-​top, forced, and a bit excessive, but generally the actors/​actress were great in turning the somewhat serious spy story into a comedy with lots of laughter here and there. I sat on the front row, and loved getting a close-​up of the actors’ dynamic facial expressions. In addition to the acting, I also loved the creative use of props throughout the show.
The show is about 2 hours long, with 15 minute intermission.
I won’t go too much into detail about the show itself — why don’t you attend and judge for yourself? :)

I found the play through an event listing on Time Out NY, or somewhere similar, and then went to the play’s website. I debated whether or not to get tickets and then this past Saturday while deciding what to do that evening I went back to the website and saw a fantastic deal.
They have a lottery an hour before the play starts where you can enter to win $ 10 tickets! They do the drawing a half hour prior to the show starting. We were lucky enough to get tickets and ended up with great seats!
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this play. It is a comedy that reminded me at times of The Grand Budapest Hotel at other times Twin Peaks. It is a bit quirky and a bit too much at times, but really very entertaining and unique.

This show is so underrated! Only found out about it through the theater club that I’m in. You can get tickets for $ 39 (I see what they did there) and there really isn’t a bad seat in the house.
The theater is small, the staff is friendly and the show will have you laughing out loud! The four (yes only 4) actors in the play are outstanding. The main actor stays in character the entire time while the three other actors (one is an actress) change parts literally throughout the entire play and most of the time it’s in the blink of an eye!
You’ll realize the satire in the play right at the beginning. Also if you’re a Hitchcock fan, there is an abundance of references — some of which I picked up on but most probably went over my head!

Just saw this at the Union Square Theater… This is a funny show, with great acting and showmanship considering there are only four people in the performance.
You will be entertained the entire time and this theater is a great place to see it, due to it’s size, and intimate environment.
There are plenty of discount tickets out there for 39 steps… find some and enjoy it!

This was a breathtakingly imaginative parody of a 1940s film noir mystery with Alfred Hitchcockian elements. The show touts that in 100 minutes four actors portray up to 150 characters, which is no small accomplishment. Just think about it realistically, separate characters in the triple digits are primarily portrayed by two men; using dozens of British Isle accents; playing characters of both sexes; and using a small stage to act with and around a significant number of sound cues, props, special effects and quick costume changes. On paper it seems senselessly complex but the actors made it look effortless. In addition to the fast pace, quick wit and non-​stop zingers, one scene in particular stood out as the actors used a rapid numbers of props, a large sheet and sound effects to generate iconic images of a half a dozen Hitchcock film («The Birds,» «Psycho» and «North by Northwest» just to name a few).
Arnie Burton (I saw him in «The Mystery of Irma Vep» the year before last and he was similarly excellent), in particular, was a stand out in a rather talented cast as he portrayed the primary villain and a police officer, a rural lady, a spy and a farmer, just to name a few. Toward the end of the play, he in fact wears two separate costumes, split down the middle at once, such that if he turned to his right, he was a crying bystander and when he turned to his left, he was a stern police officer. Mr. Burton flawlessly acted an exchange between those two characters in the span of a few minutes. Even though I have seen him do this before in a past play, his talent remained beyond impressive. This show is well worth the money but as it is an Off-​Broadway production, see it before its run ends.

I heard about this production years ago but missed it when it was on Broadway. Lo and behold, it’s back in NY. Whoo hoo!
This show is hysterical and the acting is brilliant! It’s a fun murder mystery that’s fast paced and super entertaining. There are four actors on stage that flip between various characters. Might seem confusing but it’s not.
Go check it out!

What an amazing show!!! I am still unsure why they gave us red noses at the beginning of the show…
39 steps was hilarious, smart, beautifully played by a talented crew and Hitchcock’s references are all over! Love love love love!

Me winning free tickets? (Thanks Unilocal!) Alright, I never win things… this must be a bad show. I was so wrong!
Don’t want to ruin anything for you but I giggled throughout. It’s fast-​paced, simple humor that’s pure and rings clear from beginning to end. I tried to count the roles that were being portrayed and lost count so it might as well been a million. Such talent!
I haven’t laughed so much since I saw Avenue Q! This is a must-​see!

When I first read about the play I thought I would enjoy it but not as nearly as much as I did. I was certainly surprised.
When you are seated they give you red clown noses if you would like one. So of course my friend and I couldnt resist. Who doesnt enjoy a good clown nose!!!
The play consisted of 4 actors playing several characters and they all were excellent performers.
I had a smile on my face from the beginning to the end of the show.
39steps is on the list of show recommendations.

I’ve had a bad run on the last few plays I’ve seen but 39 Steps broke my losing streak when I saw it Thursday night. It was my maiden voyage to Union Square Theatre and I was impressed by its size, cleanliness and amenities. The play itself, a parody (that is key!) of the Hitchcock classic, entertained from start to finish.
As you may have read, the play consists of 4 actors. The male lead, a female actor playing all the female roles and two «clowns» who really stole the show! The two other actors were incredibly talented, funny, creative and captivating. I don’t want to give too much away, but I highly recommend seeing this show. The humor is great but the experience is uniquely wonderful. The acting, directing and minimal props (that’s a plus!) were all excellent. Loved it!

We attended the 8pm performance tonight and. Had a great time. The play is 100 minutes with one 15 minute intermission. The theater is relatively small so I don’t think there’s really a bad seat in the house.
The show has 4 actors, one that stays in character throughout, another that plays 3 characters and two guys who do the bulk of character switching (and do a pretty good job of it). The set was simple with a few props and lots of gags
The story was interesting with appropriate twists and turns but I didn’t like it when they broke character/​the 4^th wall (they did this quite often) to explain something to us that should’ve been easy to understand. Also, there were some random pop referenced thrown in that didn’t relate to the play (eg Alfred Hitchcock shower scene)
Other than that the actors were very talented, I enjoyed their range of accents and can appreciate all the work they’ve done to perfect this show and get it on the stage.

I went to see 39 Steps after receiving complimentary tickets through Unilocal.I went in with little expectations and only a basic premise of what the play was about, but what a pleasant surprise! It was HILARIOUS and so much fun. With your playbill you get a clown nose, which is a great picture opportunity (great for social media too– obviously had to post a selfie with my sister, ASAP).
Regarding the actual show, the 4 actors do a phenomenal job with their timing and character swapping (4 actors play 150 roles– that cannot be an easy feat!). I love how they even ‘poked fun’ at the fact there were only 4 of them at some points. What I found so unique was though the scenery/​props were so basic, they made the set ‘come to life’ with sound effects and actions that made you visualize what was occurring (i.e. the actors on the train, the wind blowing when the door opened). I was skeptical when reading that ages 9 – 90 would enjoy the show, but the plot and jokes were easy to follow so it definitely is suitable for anyone.
Union Square Theater is also a small intimate theater, so though there’s a balcony section, there’s not really a bad seat in the house.
Thanks again, Unilocal & Ruggy!

My husband and I received complimentary tickets to this evening’s 8pm show. (Thanks Unilocal!) We didn’t really know what to expect, but we are huge theater fans so we were really excited to check this out. The show was absolutely hilarious and incredibly fun!
The show is made up of a cast of 4 people playing 150 different characters. They change accents and costumes in the blink of an eye. The actors are incredibly talented! From time to time, the characters break the fourth wall, which I feel adds to the overall humor of the show. (I’m a big Ferris Bueller fan!) This production definitely doesn’t take itself too seriously! To be honest, I found the first 10 minutes a bit slow, but once they get going, it doesn’t slow down for a second. You’re in for a ride with this madcap play!
In regards to the staging, it’s absolutely brilliant! They use very few props but they use them over and over again changing a simple chest into a train seat to the roof of a train and then later into a bed. Simplifying the props keeps this 100-​minute play from slowing down.
The theater is small and intimate. I was seated in the orchestra area. However, I think every seat should have a good view, including the balcony. When we entered, we were given our playbills along with red clown noses, which is an immensely smart social media opportunity. What better way to get people to post about this show on social media?! Give us noses, and we’ll advertise the show for you free of charge.
Overall, this show is just good old fun! It seriously is appropriate for ages 9 – 99. This show reminds me of the movie Clue in how it’s pulled off. It’s smart, silly, and self-​deprecating all at the same time. If you’re in the mood to laugh, this is the show to see!
Lastly, the theater is well-​located in Union Square and is near plenty of restaurants and bars for pre– or post– theater drinks or dinner.
Again, thank you Unilocal and Ruggy for organizing this event! We really had a wonderful time.

Had a blast at the 39 Steps!
Got to see this as part of a Unilocal night and was glad to be picked for it. As we normally see musicals going to an actual play was a bit different but this was totally worth it!
Harken back to the old days of 1930’s potboiler detective movies, a bit of Hitchcock mixed in with slapstick and absurd humor, a dash of keystone cops, with physical hijinks and you have the 39 Steps.
It’s a dizzying 100 minutes with one intermission that goes by in a flash. On stage are basically only four talented people, 3 actors & 1 actress, playing over 150 roles during the performance. Some play multiple characters within one scene going back and forth and not missing a beat. Every once in a while the lead characters will motion to the audience with a wink or exasperated look to convey some laughs. Their timing was impeccable, especially Robert Petkoff as the lead Richard Hannay. Other things they used to great effect were many props, smoke, and lighting effects that were hilarious.
Lots of laughs throughout. It’s good clean fun like you don’t see much nowadays. During it’s original Broadway run it garnered two Tony Awards and I can now see why.
Thanks to Ruggy and Unilocal for setting this Unilocal Night up!

What do you get when you take a melodrama Hitchcock novel like 39 Steps and give it a Monty Python makeover?
This play, 39 Steps!
Adapted by Patrick Barlow.
This comedy-​play ran a long time from 2005 in London to 2009 at the Helen Hayes Theater then moved to the New World Theater in 2010. But I never saw it. So I am pretty lucky this play returned to NYC at the Union Square Theatre.
It still employs only four people, 3 actors & 1 actress playing over 100 roles over the 100 minutes run time. Arnie Burton from the original Patrick Barlow production is also back.
You have to see it to believe it! It is hilarious, funny and enjoyable.
The pace is fast and the jokes come faster. I definitely would see it again!